Episode 3862

	Sesame Street
	Baby Bear forms a Reading Club
Air date	January 18, 2000
Season	Season 31 (2000)
Written by	Sara Compton
Production	October 12, 1999
Sponsors	X, 8
Syndication	123 Sesame Street; PBS Sprout

Picture	Segment	Description
	SCENE 1	As Baby Bear and Zoe talk, Elmo notices the viewer and they all welcome the viewer to Sesame Street. Today is the first meeting of the Sesame Street Reading Club (created by Baby Bear), but first they need a word to read. Elmo notices the bus stop sign on the corner. They read: BUS STOP!
	Film	The letters of the alphabet are found in signs all over the city. (First: Episode 3652)
	Song	14 Karat Soul sings about what's "Down Below the Street." (First: Episode 2556) cut from the Noggin version
	Film	A ONE WAY sign switches sides. (Maria voiceover) (First: Episode 3268)
	SCENE 2	Baby Bear reads a one way sign, but Elmo and Zoe complain that the signs are too high, and it hurts their necks to look up at it. Baby Bear thinks that they need a more "appropriate reading level" for them. They go to Big Bird's nest where they read the mailbox: B. BIRD. They wonder who "B. Bird" is until an Anything Muppet letter carrier arrives to give Big Bird his mail. The reading club decides to read her mailbag, U. S. POST SERVICE.
	SCENE 2 cont'd	Big Bird arrives and opens his letter, which happens to be the letter of the day, X.
	Animation	The letter X in various typefaces. (First: Episode 2862)
	Film	Wegman's dogs form the letter X and demonstrate an X-ray. (First: Episode 3535) cut from the Noggin version
	Cartoon	The Story of Cowboy X, with the voices of Jean Shepherd (First: Episode 0325)
	Muppets	Monsters in Day Care: Herry asks Eugene and Karin to sing "I'm a Little Teapot". Then he goes to Monster Day Care, and demonstrates his new skill. (First: Episode 3789)
	SCENE 3	The club reads the "MONSTER DAY CARE" banner in the yard. Elmo notices more words to read on Gabi's clothes.
	SCENE 3 cont'd	They spell out the word on Gabi's cap: SOCCER. Then they read the word on her sweatshirt: GABI.
	Cartoon	A Zerkel named Dan demonstrates -an words. Artist: Sally Cruikshank (First: Episode 3515)
	Song	"Playground Map Song" (First: Episode 2680) cut from the Noggin version
	Cartoon	Clown Honking: 8 (First: Episode 3224)
	Film	Milo Counting: 8 (First: Episode 3554) cut from the Noggin version
	Cartoon	"Candy Man" Artist: Bud Luckey (First: Episode 0359)
	SCENE 4	Elmo, Zoe, and Baby Bear enter Hooper's Store. The club explains to Alan why they're there, so Alan offers books and magazines for them to read. The club explains that it isn't necessary--they can read the food and product labels lining the shelves.
	Cartoon	Sign Sounds: HOT DOG (First: Episode 1142)
	Film	Wanda the Word Fairy drives to a market to demonstrate the words of foods, attracting the suspicious gaze of the grocer in the process. (First: Episode 2652) cut from the Noggin version
	Muppets	"Readers of the Open Range" (First: Episode 2141)
	Cartoon	What if I looked like George Washington... (First: Episode 0586) cut from the Noggin version
	SCENE 5	The club finds two kids playing hopscotch, and Baby Bear points out that words aren't the only thing one can read; they can read numbers, too. They read the eight digits on the hopscotch grid.
	Cartoon	Eight children dance in a colorblock grid. (First: Episode 3115)
	Muppets	Little Chrissy sings "Eight Balls of Fur." (First: Episode 2669)
	Cartoon	A shy girl wants to join a group bouncing a ball. Artist: Joanna Priestley (First: Episode 2849)
	SCENE 6	Baby Bear, Elmo, and Zoe notice Slimey and his friend Squiggle at Oscar's can, and ask if they have anything that they could read. The worms respond by making the letter X out of their bodies.
	Film	Ornate Xs spin around in accompaniment to a song. (First: Episode 2929) cut from the Noggin version
	Muppets	Muppet & Kid Moment — Lexine gives Cookie Monster a cookie. (First: Episode 3245)
	Cartoon	Would you mind closing our OPEN? (First: Episode 0438)
	SCENE 7	Oscar the Grouch is asked by the club to provide something new to read. The grouch responds by displaying his "Scram" sign, and tries to trick the club by reading the word and doing what it says. However, all three of them have trouble reading it, pestering Oscar even more!
	Muppets	Elmo's World: Bananas (First: Episode 3858)
	SCENE 8	Elmo, Zoe, and Baby Bear announce (and present) the sponsors.