01x03 - Enough With the Seashells

[bunniefuu]

Hey, is this thing on?

Heh heh.

* Hey, sid, what do you say?

What you want to learn today?

I want to know why things
happen and how and I want to

Know everything now--oh, yeah!

How does this thing work?

Why does that stuff change?

How does that do
what it just did? Hmm.

What's up with the sky?

Do you think I could fly?

The world is spinning
and I want to know why

I got a lot of questions
and big ideas

I'm sid the science kid *
[captioning made possible by

The jim henson company
and friends of nci]

Ladies and gentlemen...

I am sid. Welcome to my room!

Ha ha. Thank you. Thank you.

[Applause]
hey, arnie, you're lookin' nice

And fuzzy. Ha ha.

And dr. Beaks, you look
like you could fall over at any

Second now--wha-cha! Ka-pow.

So, let me ask you something--
have you ever played

A guessing game?

Like, how many stars are in the
sky? Or how many pennies

Are in a fountain?

It's hard to guess.

Look--my teacher susie had us
bring this jar home and fill it

Up with something.

Then we're going to guess how
many things are in the jar.

But how do you guess?

Parents seem really good at
guessing.

My mom can take one look at my
dinner plate and say, "young

Man, you still have about
peas left on your plate."

How do parents do that?

Well, now it's my turn to
guess, and I just gotta

Know...how many seashells
are in my...[Echo] jar?

Sid! Breakfast time!

Ooh! Ha ha. Ooh. Um...

Gotta get my jar. Hold on, mom!

I'm coming! I am so hungry.

Ha ha. Breakfast time!

[Baby babbling]
hi, sid. Have a seat.

Your cereal is waiting for you
at the table.

Ok. Thanks, mom.

Good morning, dad.

Hey, morning, sid.

Oh, I see you filled up your jar
with seashells. Great idea.

Yeah, but I wonder how I'll
be able to guess how many

Things are in here.

Hmm, well, you'll just have
to take a guess...i guess.

[Laughter]
so, mom, how much cereal do

You give zeke in his bowl each
morning?

Oh, I guess about a
handful.

Well, why don't you just
count out how many pieces of

Cereal zeke needs?

Ooh, great question, sid.

Sometimes, it's easier just to
guess.

It is?

It is. Let me show you.

Here, honey, will you take zeke
for a moment?

Come here, you.

Now, sid,
let's look at the computer.

I'll show you what I mean.

Cool.

Oh, here we go. So, how many
butterflies do you see?

Hmm. One, , ...about !

Ha ha. Now how many
butterflies do you see?

Whoa, I can't count all
those. There's like...um,

A whole lot of butterflies!

Mm-hmm. And that's why
sometimes when it's too hard to

Count something,
you can make a guess.

Ok. Ha. I get it.

Thanks, mom.

You got it.

But, you know, I'm still not
sure if I can guess how many

Seashells I have in here.

Guessing seems hard to do.

Well, maybe your teacher
susie will know a special way

To make a really good guess.

Oh, yeah!

Teacher susie's really smart!

I can't wait to go to school!

And I guess I better not forget
you!

* I love my mom
uh huh

My mom is cool
uh huh

But now it's time for having
fun at school! Yeah! *

Ha ha ha.

* I'm lookin' for my friends
I'm lookin' for you

There's gabriela!

Watch what I can do!

La la whoo! La la whoo!

Oh, yeah!

Wow!

I'm lookin' for my friends
I'm lookin' for you

Hey, there's gerald!

Yeah, check out my moves!

[Grunting, laughing]
I'm a rock star!

Cool!

I'm lookin' for my friends
I'm lookin' for you

Hey, there's may!

May I show you how I groove?

La-la-la-la [laughs] hey!

Groovy!

We're looking for our
friends! We're looking for you!

Hey, there's sid! *
Did you hear the one about

The kid who wanted to know
everything about everything?

* That's you!
...me.

[Laughter]
* we're looking for our

Friends! And look what we found!

We found each other...friends! *
[Laughter]

And now it's time for the
sid survey!

Hello. I am sid...roving
reporter with today's survey.

The question: guess how many
seashells are in this jar.

Ha ha. And you can guess, too!

Um, hmm. Oh, gerald, hello.

Huh? Oh, hi, sid! Ha!

I'm taking a survey.

Can you guess how many
seashells are in this jar?

Oh! Yeah! Ok, cool! Um,
let's see. I can count shells.

So I know there's more than
shells in that jar!

Good guess.

Hey, gerald, can you help
me with my survey, and carry

This jar?

Yes! All right! I can't
wait, sid.

I'm such a great helper.

You'll see!

Great. I know it.

Ok. Oh, hello, may.

Hello.

Can you guess how many
seashells are in this jar?

Ok, let me see.

I'm observing and I'm looking
and observing. Hmm.

Uh, may?

Uh, hold on, I'm still
observing.

Oh, ok.

Um, well, I guess, um...

I don't know, maybe... .

Ok. Good guess, may.

Thank you.

Hey, sid, how am I doing?

You're doing great, buddy.

Nice carrying.

Thank you.

Hello, gabriela.

Hello.

Can you guess how many
seashells are in this jar?

Oh, I know exactly how
many seashells are in that jar.

You do?

Mm-hmm. Somewhere between
and one million shells, ha ha,

To be exact.

Perfect.

Thank you very much.

No problem.

[Chuckles] and now
the results of my survey.

Gerald said there are at least
. And he's a great helper.

Oh, now stop it.

You are.

Ok, you're right.

I'm a great helper, sid.

[Laughter]
now, may said .

And gabriela said there were
between and a million shells.

Hmm. I hope you made a guess,
too. Ha ha. So, there you have

It! I am sid, roving reporter,
and not yet a guessing expert.

Everybody! Rug time!

That's teacher susie! Ha ha!

* It's rug time!

Come on in! Rug time!

Take a seat! Rug time!

We're ready!

Everybody move your feet!

Rug time!

Teacher susie!

Good time is on the way!

Rug time! Come on in!

We've got a lot
to learn today! *

Hut, one! Hut, !

And ready, set, hike!

[Laughter]
go, gerald, go!

All right, gerald.

Make a touchdown. Yay!

Hey, now.

Here you go, sid.

Nice.

Touchdown!

Yay!

Ok. So, today, we're going
to do some guessing!

Everybody go get your jars
from your cubbies.

Ooh, oh, ok.

Mine's right over here.

There's my jar.

[All talking at once]
oooh, so many jars with

Things inside! Seashells.

Bouncy balls. Rocks.

Oh, and look at may's jar.

You have little toy animals.

They're little toy bears.

I really like bears.

Aren't they cute?

Ooh, they are cute. I wonder
how many you have in there.

I wanna know how many bouncy
balls I have in this jar.

Wow, it looks like there's
a lot!

You're all asking great
questions!

What you're talking about is
something scientists do

All the time.

We're making guesses?

You're right, and making a
guess of how many things there

Are has a special name--
it's called an estimation.

Estimation.

Hey, these should be called
estimation jars!

Well, guess what, gabriela?

That's exactly what these
science tools are called:

Estimation jars.

Wow, I can't wait to make an
estimation!

Hold on.

What if I make a wrong
estimation?

Oh, there are no wrong
answers when you think first and

Make a thoughtful estimation.

I wanna make sure I guess
the right number of my little

Bear friends.

How do you make your best
estimation?

Yeah, that's exactly what I
want to know!

Well, there are things you
can do to help you make your

Best estimation!

And I know the perfect place
to investigate!

Ok, scientists, you know where
we're going?

To the super fab lab!

That's right!

Grab your jars and journals
and let's go!

Ok.

[Laughter]
super fab lab!

Ok, scientists, we're going
to do the estimation

Investigation!

[All cheering]
ok, before we do an

Estimation, we need to
observe. Take a close look at

The things inside your jar.

Look at the jar from above.

From below. Now I'm going to
show you a special way to help

You make your best estimate.

[All talking at once]
you're a scientist. You can

Try this, too.

It's the estimation
investigation. Let's estimate

How many balls are in this
estimation jar. First, look at

The balls in the jar really
carefully. Look at them from

The sides, the top,
and the bottom. Now, here's a

Special way to help you make
your best estimate. Open the

Jar and count out balls.

Hold the balls or just make a
little pile in front of you.

Take a good look at what a group
of balls looks like. Ok.

Put them back in the jar
with the rest of the balls.

Now try making your best
estimate of how many balls

Are in the jar. Think about how
many groups of you might have

And write down your estimate
in your journal. Now let's

Count the balls.

, , , , , , , , , ,
, , , , , , , ,

, , , , , , .

There are balls in the jar.

Now compare that to your
estimate.

You can try estimating how many
things are in other jars, too,

Because now you know a way to
help make your best estimate!

Count out .

Write down your estimate.

Then count how many you
really have. Now you're an

Estimation expert.

Did everyone make an estimate,
then count the things in your

Jar to see how many you really
had?

[All talking at once]
good job, scientists!

Oh, I can't wait to see what
estimations you made!

Sid, let's take a look at your
journal first.

Um, sure. Let's see.

First, I counted out
seashells, so I knew I had more

Than that in the jar.

Then I estimated there were
shells.

And when I counted them, I
found out there were shells!

That's a lot of shells.

When I get home, I'm gonna
estimate how many shells I have

In my whole bucket!

Great work, sid.

Thanks.

Gabriela, would you
like to go next?

Ok. I counted out rocks,
and I held them in my hand.

And when I looked at the rocks
in my hand, I thought I had a

Little bit more than that in my
jar. So I estimated rocks.

And when I counted them out,
there were rocks.

I was so close!

Nice job estimating,
gabriela and sid.

I really like your pictures,
too.

Hey, estimating bouncy balls
was really fun, because they

Kept bouncing all over the
place, like boing!

Boing! Boing!...

[Laughter]
] whoa, one got out of the jar.

Ok. Ok, gerald. Well, I'm
proud of all my scientists!

You're becoming really good at
estimating.

I think it's time to play with
all your new estimation skills!

Yay!

Go ahead.

Let's go estimate.

It's time for...

Good laughternoon!

[Laughter]
knock knock?

Who's there?

One.

One who!?

One, who, , , .

[Laughter]
I like yogurt.

Um, gerald, that's not a
joke.

I know, sid,
but I'm really hungry.

Oh. Ok.

[Laughter]
how do you estimate how many

Big, scary bears live in a cave?

I don't know. How?

Beary carefully. [Giggles]
[as a bear] rawr!

[Normal voice] was that scary?

Um, yeah. Beary scary.

[Laughter]
wait, I have another joke,

But my door is stuck!

[Grunting] knock, knock.

Who's there?

I still like yogurt!

[Laughter]
now, that's funny!

[Canned laughter]
[laughter]

Ok, ok, let's play pretend!

Ok.

You're wearing that funny
grown-up hat, so what do you

Want to be?

Huh? Oh, um, hmm. Let's see.

I got it!

I'll pretend like I'm selling
something really silly!

Watch this!

[Laughter]
hello, friends.

I have a question for you.

How many thingies do you see
in this jar?

[Laughter]
uh...oh, uh...

Maybe a hundred?

No!

Wow, this is so hard.

Um, ?

Guess again.

Ohh.

Guessing is tough.

Are there a million?

No! Too bad.

Listen, kids, sounds like
you're having trouble

Estimating.

Well, no need to worry,
because help is here!

Try my new amazing guess-better
glasses!

[Laughter]
these glasses will help you

See...

Ooh!

And estimate...

Ahh!

Better!

Wow! Yay!

Gather 'round. Gather 'round.

I have one for everybody.

[Laughter]
wow! Wow.

Now I can see perfectly.

Yeah.

I wish I always
had these glasses! Ha ha ha!

Now, look again and tell me
how many thingies are in the

Jar?

Thingies!

Ha ha! You're right!

Guess-better glasses do work!

Your estimations will now be
better than ever with guess-

Better glasses!

Yay, mr. Salesman!

[Laughter]
and now...

It's time...

For susie...

To sing!

Go, susie!

Oh, why, thank you.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

You know, all this
talk about estimation reminds me

Of how wonderful it is to look
around you in nature!

So many things to estimate!

* Look at those geese flying
south for some sunny sun

There's so many I couldn't
count every one, how many are

There in that gaggle of geese?

I'd estimate there's a hundred
at least, well, I'm not sayin'

It's an absolute fact
there's too many to count

So I can't be exact
I'm just sayin' that's my best

Guess, I mean more or less
could I be off a little?

Yes, I guess!

It's hard to count
each one you see

But that's what my best guess
would be

How many stars are shining
bright in the endless sky?

Does that number exist?

Is that number too high?

Are there a million?

A billion? A trillion?

What's next? A quadrillion?

Quintillion? Googolplex!

I'm just sayin' that's my best
guess, I mean more or less

Could I be off a little?

Yes, I guess!

It's hard to count each one
you see

But that's what my best guess
would be *

[All cheering]
thank you.

Another winner. [Laughs]
cool, susie.

It would be really hard
to count all the stars in the

Sky.

Yeah.

Or all the shells on the
beach! There are so many!

You know, I used to think
adults were the only ones who

Were good at making guesses...

Or estimations.

Yeah, but we're pretty
good, too. We're scientists!

[All cheering]
yes, you are scientists,

And now you can keep making
estimations, even at home!

[All cheering]
let's go!

Yay!

Follow me.

* Oh, yeah
backseat driving

With grandma! Whoo! *
Ok, kiddo.

Tell me what amazing things
you did in school today.

Grandma, I learned how to
estimate how many shells are in

My jar!

Ooh, good for you!

Knowing how to estimate can
really come in handy!

When I was a little girl, I had
a favorite kind of candy:

Jellybeans. Ooh-ooh!

Now, one day, our neighborhood
candy store held a contest.

They filled a big ol' jar with
all kinds of jellybeans--and

The kid who guessed the number
of jellybeans in the jar, or

Closest to the number, won all
the jellybeans!

Oh, boy, I was excited.

I went to the store every
day, and I'd look at those

Jellybeans carefully.

Then the big day came--i told
the store owner my estimate.

And guess what--i won!

I was just one off of the exact
number!

[Laughter]
do you remember how many

Jellybeans there were?

I sure do. !

Wow. Grandma, can we find
some things to estimate when we

Get home?

That's a great idea.

Let's make it a game.

Yeah! Ha ha ha ha!

My grandma is awesome!

* I learned something cool!

Something cool today!

I know it upside down and
inside out!

I learned all about... *
Ha ha ha ha!

* Estimation!
Whoo-hoo!

Ha ha!

Scientist in the house! Yeah.

[Canned applause]
[sniffs] ahh.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's
hear it for dad's

Special meatballs!

[All cheering]
oh, they look great, son.

Ah, why, thank you.

Hey, sid, remember our game?

Oh, yeah. Hey, grandma and I
are gonna play an estimation

Game.

Ok.

But, um,
what can we estimate?

Well, how about these
tasty meatballs?

Yeah!

We can try to guess how many
meatballs dad made for dinner!

Sounds like a good idea.

Oh, let's see.

I estimate meatballs.

Ok. I will say there are
perfect meatballs!

And I'd guess meatballs.

I'll guess... Meatballs!

Hey, zeke, you want to guess?

Grumgrumflontflontflont!

[Laughter]
ok, now it's time to count

So we know the exact number of
meatballs!

All righty. I will
serve them up.

One, , ...

Grandma, and for dad.

, , .

. Hey, grandma, you guessed
the exact number! Meatballs.

Give it up for the estimation
expert.

[All cheering]
I've had some practice.

Oh.

Ok, what do you say we eat!

[All talking at once]
today was awesome.

I love making guesses, and now
I know how to make my best

Guess...which is called
an estimation.

I estimated how many shells
were in my jar, and I got

Pretty close to the real number!

How cool is that?! Ha!

So, now I've been thinking a lot
about estimation.

You can really estimate
anything! Like--anything!

[Gasp] ok, I've got it!

Here's my super duper ooper
shmooper big idea!

I want to estimate something
big, I mean really big!

I got it--how about all the
stars in the sky!

First I'll invent a really big
estimation jar!

Then I'll fly through the sky
and collect all the stars and

Put them in my gigantic
estimation jar!

Ok, now it's time to start
estimating!

I'm gonna need lots of help!

C'mon, everyone in the world,
let's all start estimating!

[Different accents] ...

, ... , ...

[Regular voice] ok,
we estimate...

That there are lots of stars!

Oh, the stars are so beautiful!

And that's my super duper ooper
shmooper big idea! Ha ha ha ha.

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you guys. You've been
awesome. Ha ha. And thank you.

I am sid the science kid!

["Kid" echoes]
and I estimate I can wave

Good-bye about a hundred times!

Remember, keep asking lots and
lots of questions!

See ya later, scientists!

Ok, it's about ...

Still waving! Ha ha.

Um, ...

[All talking at once]
oh, hi. We're just checking

Out our web site. You can
explore with us.

Yeah!

Great idea. Come join us.

Visit pbskids.org and there's a
lot of great information for

Grown-ups, too.

I think we look
pretty good in the computer.

Yeah.

Observe! Compare!

Contrast! Ahh!

Hey! I know how to observe,
compare, and contrast, and I bet

You do, too. Observe.

That's when you look really
closely at something and listen

To it, maybe even smell it
and feel it. Compare. That's

When you look at things
and think about how they're

The same. Contrast. That's when
you observe things and think

About what's different
about them.

Hey, scientists. There's lots
more amazing science coming your

Way. My friends and I will learn
how to use science tools,

Investigate how things change,
discover our senses, and explore

How to keep our bodies healthy.

So, come join me--sid
the science kid.