Episode 2024

	Sesame Street
	Big Bird forms the Birdketeers
Air date	February 7, 1985
Season	Season 16 (1984-1985)
Written by	Luis Santeiro
Production	October 30, 1984
Sponsors	W, X, 3

Picture	Segment	Description
	SCENE 1	Today is the first day of Oscar's Grouchketeer School, where Grouchketeers can learn to become better Grouchketeers. He describes it to Susan (blowing a dusty old book in her face) and the first lesson begins - the alphabet. The students approach the board and write the letters with chalk, producing a loud, horrid squeak that sends Susan running.
	Cartoon	W For Wilbur (First: Episode 0366)
	Muppets	Professor Grover teaches his students what "school" is, but he instead gets the lesson. (First: Episode 1969)
	Cartoon	W - wallpaper (First: Episode 0291)
	Song	"Look Around, Look Around", a song about seasons. (First: Episode 0556)
	Cartoon	A hand draws a farm backdrop for the animals. (First: Episode 0925)
	Muppets / Cast	In a grid, Big Bird, Herry Monster, David, Olivia, Gladys the Cow, The Count and two kids rhyme the word "Hi." (First: Episode 1348)
	Cartoon	A postal worker tells the viewer what the post office is good for. Artist: Cliff Roberts (First: Episode 0783)
	Film	As a boy plays with a tugboat in the bathtub, we watch footage of a real tugboat. (First: Episode 0801)
	Cartoon	Two men go birdwatching, while one of them tries to alert the other about the closed bridge. (First: Episode 1972)
	SCENE 2	Oscar shows the Grouchketeers his Grouchometer, which will detect how loudly they can say the word "no." When nobody is able to do it, Oscar comes to the horrible conclusion that they'll have to cooperate. They do so and ring the machine's bell.
	Cartoon	A man chases a runaway "no." (First: Episode 0794)
	Film	Number Three Ball Film: A red ball follows a rollercoaster-like track through checkpoints (each, a set of three) that are counted in voiceover. At the end, the ball turns into a cherry which is devoured by a girl. (First: Episode 0744)
	Muppets	Ernie and Bert: Ernie Makes a Grocery List — Bert observes Ernie write out a shopping list using chocolate pudding. (First: Episode 1967)
	Cartoon	A black cat chases after a white bird, until a white lion steps in. Artists: The Hubleys (First: Episode 0255)
	Celebrity	Menudo performs "Gotta Get on Movin'." (First: Episode 1971)
	Cartoon	"Poverty X": A peanut-shaped figure lists the words that the letter "X" can be found in. (First: Episode 0006)
	SCENE 3	Big Bird wants to join the Grouchketeer School, but Oscar tells him he's much too nice and declines. Big Bird gets frustrated, but Gordon tells him he should be proud of being a bird instead of a Grouch. Big Bird becomes inspired and decides to form his own school - The Birdketeer School! He starts planning for what he'll require: "All I'm gonna need is some beaks, some feathers, and a curriculum..."
	Cartoon	Donnie Budd sings about three trios of animals who live on a fat lady's lap. Artist: Bud Luckey (First: Episode 0299)
	Muppets	Benny and his boss have been waiting for Lefty for a long time. Benny wonders how they will know when it's Lefty at the door, so he reminds him that Lefty will knock three times - their secret knock to enter their hideout. Lefty forgets the number, and has to be hinted from his boss what the number of knocks are to gain access, finally giving the correct amount. When they let him in, the boss reprimands him for his poor memory, and warns him that he'll be in big trouble if he forgets again. To test his memory, the boss and Benny lock themselves out, telling him not to let them in until they give the secret knock. Despite the boss' warning, Lefty forgets once again, and finally having enough, he fearfully runs out the back door, leaving the other two stranded outside yelling, "Let us in!" as they angrily pound on the door trying to get in. (First: Episode 0722)
	Film	A girl narrates a segment about nature through winter and spring. (First: Episode 1966)
	Muppets	Muppet & Kid Moment — Kermit, Shola, and Fanny count legs and heads. (First: Episode 0619)
	Cartoon	Various alien creatures perform in an otherworldly music performance conducted by a trumpet-nosed creature. (First: Episode 1181)
	SCENE 4	Gordon sees Big Bird's Birdketeer school is going very well, as the students (dressed in yellow feathers) all practice their wing-flapping. At Gordon's suggestion, Big Bird invites Oscar to join, and tosses a set of feathers into his can. Oscar emerges, covered in plumage and unamused.
	Cartoon	"Have you seen my NO?" (First: Episode 0773)
	Film	Finding round things in a supermarket (David voiceover) (First: Episode 0434)
	Muppets	Guy Smiley hosts "Mystery Guest," where the blindfolded panel of Cookie Monster, Don Music, and Sherlock Hemlock must guess the identity of a special guest - the letter X. (First: Episode 1447)
	Cartoon	The Story of Cowboy X, with the voices of Jean Shepherd (First: Episode 0325)
	Song	Joe Raposo sings "Everybody Run." (First: Episode 0372)
	Cartoon	A circle becomes a clock, balloon, sun, etc. (First: Episode 0358)
	Cast	David, Luis and Linda count in different languages. (First: Episode 0326)
	Cartoon	Little Red Riding Hood is prepared for her trip to Grandma's. (First: Episode 1468)
	SCENE 5	Big Bird plays "house" with a bunch of X figures. He introduces each of the "family members" to Susan, except for the baby, who she easily identifies. After being reminded that Susan is a nurse, Big Bird has her try to guess what's wrong with the baby X, which Susan finds impossible... until the baby X sneezes, much to her surprise.
	Cartoon	Kids see animals in their alphabet soup. Artist: Michael Sporn (First: Episode 1976)
	Film	"I Can Do It By Myself" (First: Episode 1727)
	Cartoon	The letters in the word BESO kiss each other. (First: Episode 0433)
	Muppets	Pageant: Ernie plays the role of Bart, a farm boy who plants a flower. Herry Monster plays the sun, and a nervous Cookie Monster plays a cloud. Bert reluctantly plays the flower. When it is said that Bert made the leaves for his costume out of lettuce leaves, Cookie and Herry proceed to eat the leaves and rip the costume apart. (First: Episode 0578)
	Cartoon	The Typewriter gets a check-up with help from an x-ray. (First: Episode 0787)
	SCENE 6	Big Bird plays "Mama Duck and the Ducklings" with the Birdkeeters following him around the yard as Susan announces the sponsors.