Square One Television Wikia

*Mathman, your mission is to explore the Square One TV wiki and use it in conjunction with the show to learn math by achieving the greatest experience possible!*
## Welcome to the  Wiki!

The Square One Television Wiki is an online encyclopedia devoted to providing definitive and comprehensive coverage of all 5 seasons, all 230 episodes, all 1,144 segments, and each and every character and location that comprised the former PBS masterpiece, Square One Television.

## Copyright

**The Square One Television Wiki is not an official website of Sesame Workshop. The Square One Television Wiki exists solely to inform people, especially educators and networks, about Square One TV, and to help catalog and archive this phenomenal, yet now defunct television series. We do not own or license the copyright to any content from the show, and all content presented here exists for the purpose of allowing the public to fairly evaluate Square One TV. Additionally, educators may not incorporate any of the site's content into their lessons, and content may be used for personal enjoyment *only*.**

    **Square One Television**, also known as **Square One TV** or simply **Square One**, was a children's television series created by the Children's Television Workshop in 1987. Airing on the PBS Network between 1987 and 1992, Square One Television was created to combat a "math crisis" plaguing the nation at the time. Targeting 8 to 12 year olds, the show used TV parodies, music videos, cartoons, video games, game shows, magic tricks, comedy and more to teach mathematics and abstract mathematical concepts to younger viewers.
*Square One Television* employed sketch comedy and various other devices to provide an entertaining program to help elementary school children develop their mathematical skills. Since it was intended for children who had graduated from CTW's flagship program, *Sesame Street,* the humor was more mature than what was seen there.

Five seasons aired between 1987 and 1992, with a total of 230 episodes having been produced. The show was revived for the 1995–1996 PBS season as a teacher instruction program, Square One TV Math Talk, with a total 22 episodes produced.

Square One was also shown on the U.S. cable television channel Noggin in syndication beginning in 1999, but was removed from its lineup along with some other Sesame Workshop shows that were added from 1999 (with the six shows including Square One that were added in the channel's initial lineup) to 2001 (with original series Sponk!, which was moved to The N alongside A Walk In Your Shoes, Big Kids, Ghostwriter) (except 123 Sesame Street and Tiny Planets), as well as Bill Nye the Science Guy, The Busy World of Richard Scarry, Doug, Eureeka's Castle, Nickelodeon Wildside, The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss and original series On the Team, Phred on Your Head Show and The URL with Phred Show, on March 31, 2002.

## Main Segment Cast

Arthur HowardBeverly MickinsLarry CedarCristobal FrancoReg E. CatheyCynthia DarlowLuisa LeschinPriscilla Lopez
## Goals

The show established a clear set of the goals it intended to achieve, and each segment utilized a particular set of goals. The goals used throughout each segment can be found on the individual page for that segment.

Square One TV Curriculum Goals

SQUARE ONE TV has three goals, outlined here for easy reference.

***GOAL I.*** To promote positive attitudes toward and enthusiasm for mathematics by showing the following:

A. Mathematics is a powerful and widely applicable tool useful to solve problems, to illustrate concepts, and to increase efficiency.
B. Mathematics is beautiful and aesthetically pleasing.
C. Mathematics can be understood, used, and even invented by nonspecialists.
***GOAL II***. To encourage the use and application of problem-solving processes by modeling the following:

A. Problem Formulation:
1. Recognize and state a problem.
2. Assess the value of solving a problem.
3. Assess the possibility of solving a problem.

B. Problem Treatment
1. Recall information.
2. Estimate or approximate.
3. Measure, gather data, or check resources.
4. Calculate or manipulate (mentally or physically).
5. Consider probabilities.
6. Use trial-and-error or guess-and-check.

C. Problem-Solving Heuristics
1. Represent problem: scale model, drawing, map; picture, diagram, gadget; table, chart, graph; use objects, act out.
2. Transform problem: reword, clarify; simplify; find subgoals, subproblems, work backwards.
3. Look for: patterns; missing information; distinctions in kinds of information (pertinent or extraneous).
4. Reapproach problem: change point of view, reevaluate assumptions; generate new hypotheses.

D. Problem Follow-up
1. Discuss reasonableness of results and precision of results.
2. Look for alternative solutions.
3. *Look for alternative ways to solve.*
4. Look for, or extend to, related problems.

***GOAL III***. To present sound mathematical content in an interesting, accessible, and meaningful manner by exploring the following:

A. Numbers and Counting
1. Whole numbers.
2. Numeration: role and meaning of digits in whole numbers (place value); Roman numerals; palindromes; other bases.
3. Rational numbers: interpretations of fractions as numbers, ratios, parts of a a whole or of a set.
4. Decimal notation: role and meaning of digits in decimal numeration.
5. Percents: uses; link to decimals and fractions.
6. Negative numbers: uses; relation to subtraction.

B. Arithmetic of Rational Numbers
1. Basic operations: addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, exponentiation; when and how to use operations.
2. Structure: primes, factors, and multiples.
3. Number theory: modular arithmetic (including parity); Diophantine equations; Fibonacci sequence; Pascal's triangle.
4. Approximation: rounding; bounds; approximate calculation; interpolation and extrapolation; estimation.
5. Ratios: use of ratios, rates and proportions; relation to division; golden section.

C. Measurement
1. Units: systems (English, metric, nonstandard); importance of standard units.
2. Spatial: length, area, volume, perimeter, and surface area.
3. Approximate nature: exact versus approximate, i.e., counting versus measuring; calculation with approximations; margin of error; propagation of error; estimation.
4. Additivity.

D. Numerical Functions and Relations
1. Relations: order, inequalities, subset relations, additivity, infinite sets.
2. Functions: linear, quadratic, exponential; rules, patterns.
3. Equations: solution techniques (e.g., manipulation, guess-and-test); missing addend and factor; relation to construction of numbers.
4. Formulas: interpretation and evaluation; algebra as generalized arithmetic.

E. Combinatorics and Counting Techniques
1. Multiplication principle and decomposition.
2. Pigeonhole principle.
3. Systematic enumeration of cases.

F. Probability and Statistics
1. Basic quantification: counting; representation by rational numbers.
2. Derived measures: average, median, range.
3. Concepts: independence, correlation; "Law of Averages."
4. Prediction: relation to probability.
5. Data processing: collection and analysis.
6. Data presentation: graphs, charts, tables; construction and interpretation.

G. Geometry
1. Dimensionality: one, two, three, and four dimensions.
2. Rigid transformations: transformations in two and three dimensions; rotations, reflections, and translations; symmetry.
3. Tessellations: covering the plane and bounded regions; kaleidoscopes; role of symmetry; other surfaces.
4. Maps and models in scale: application of ratios.
5. Perspective: rudiments of drawing in perspective; representation of three-dimensional objects in two dimensions.
6. Geometrical objects: recognition; relations among; constructions; patterns.
7. Topological mappings and properties: invariants.

***Transcribed from the Mathnet Mysteries Teacher's Guide distributed by GPN, ©1991 Children's Television Workshop. Modified by the Square One Television Wiki for compatibility with the Square One Television Wiki, with additions from "SQUARE ONE TV CODING OF SEGMENTS" by Betsy McNeal & Karen Singer, published by Children's Television Workshop, 1991. All rights reserved. Used without permission.***

## Episodes

Math Talk Unit 2 • Math Talk 106 • Math Talk 107 • Math Talk 108 • Math Talk 109 • Math Talk 110
Math Talk Unit 3 • Math Talk 111 • Math Talk 112 • Math Talk 113 • Math Talk 114 • Math Talk 115
Math Talk Unit 4 • Math Talk 116 • Math Talk 117 • Math Talk 118 • Math Talk 119 • Math Talk 120
Math Talk for Teachers • Math Talk for Parents

## Segments

Template:Segments

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To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the series, Sesame Workshop writer Dan Lewis released a blog entry discussing his love and remembrance of the show. The blog entry, entitled *"To Square One TV, With Love"*, can be found here.

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    Mathnet superfan *Jill the Pill* posted on the 17th of January, 2017, that a 30th Anniversary Tribute show would occur in New York City at the People’s Improv Theatre on Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. The show was a hit as Square One fans gathered from around the nation, and Jill's article can be read here. The link on her page to the original article unfortunately is broken, and the page was never cached by the Internet Archives.
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Speaking of archives, the Official Square One Television Webpage was relocated to the Sesame Workshop archives, and can be found here.

The page gives a little bit of information about the background of the show, as well as listing vital stats on the show, such as the number of episodes per season and a list of the main cast.

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See More

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