KUED Programs

Best in Show - Carolina decides to enter Francois in the dog show, and Helen just can't help herself. She has to enter Martha, too, so she can show Carolina who the true champion really is. A little competition between cousins isn't a bad thing, or is it? Truman on the Ball - Why does Truman want to become a hobo and/or join the circus? Is he actually trying to run away? Maybe it has something to do with tomorrow's softball game, and the fact that Truman can't actually catch the ball. Can Martha and Alice help?

The Martha Show, Part 1 - Martha has been offered a chance to host a children's TV show with her friends! The gang tries to agree on the perfect kid's show (1st of two parts). Vocabulary: (E) genre(s), drama(tic)(s), educational, merchandise, style, comed(y)(ies)(ic) (I) co-star, medical, program(s), watch, script. The Martha Show, Part 2 - Having your own kid's show is more complicated than Martha expected. Our talking dog comes up with a whale of a show. But is her new partner - or TV - ready for it? (2nd of two parts). Vocabulary: (E)pilot, imaginative, suspense, depict(ing)(ion)(ed) (I) duo, viewers, children('s), pirate(s), whale.

Martha Doesn't Speak Monkey! - Professor Monkey is coming to town to promote his craft books with co-author Beppo. But his directions to the bookstore end up under Bob the dog's fiercely guarded porch. Can Martha help Professor Monkey find the bookstore before Beppo turns in her banana suit? Martha and Truman Get Lost - Truman needs Martha to help him find something he lost at Dog Head Lake. The only problem is he won't tell Martha what they're looking for because he's too embarrassed. After getting lost deep in the forest and coming face-to-face with his fears, Truman learns a valuable lesson about himself and his . . . whatsit.

Raiders of the Lost Art - After TD passes in the wrong drawing in art class (a caricature of his art teacher instead of a perfectly good drawing of the back of Chuck Smith's head), he panics. With Truman and Martha keeping an eye out for the janitor, Helen and TD sneak into the school after hours to switch the drawings. But will they get caught, or worse still, eaten by a desert mountain snow wolf? Martha Says It with Flowers - Martha always seems to do the wrong thing around Grandma Lucille. To prove that she's really considerate, she decides to do something really special for Grandma's birthday. But finding the perfect present for a human is a lot harder than it looks.

Escape from Flea Island - Carolina is determined to outdo Tiffany Blatsky on the science project. She organizes an expedition with TD, Truman, and Martha to gather "exotic" plants. When the canoe capsizes, a storm blows up, and the sun starts to go down, they worry they may never get off Flea Island. Vocabulary - (E) cooperate, consensus, government, law, supervise (I) agree, lead, in charge, rule, team. No Dogs Allowed - Tiffany wants to make Helen's treehouse into a girls' clubhouse. But who should be president? When the girls hold an election (Carolina vs. Tiffany, of course), both candidates aggressively court Helen's vote. Vocabulary - (E) campaign, debate, elect, influence, issue (I) choose, decide, lose, vote, win, club.

Martha in Charge - Helen comes down with laryngitis, and she's sent to bed to recuperate. Martha decides to use her powers of speech to take care of the patient and find a cure. So why are a police car, fire engine, pizza delivery van, and chimney sweep truck all blocking the road in front of Helen's house? Vocabulary - (E) remedy, recover, recuperate, cure, medicine (I) hoarse, rest, well, sick(ness). Truman and the Deep Blue Sea - Truman can't believe his luck when Alice invites the gang to go whale watching . . . . until he realizes that he has to actually get on a boat. Which means he'll get seasick. But Truman's desire to see Balaenoptera musculus drives him to overcome his fear, with a little help from someone who knows the true meaning of perseverance! Vocabulary - (E) dread, nauseous, overcome, persevere, seasick (I) ill, quit, queasy, sick, shaky.

Martha the Hero Maker - Martha has an idea for a thrilling adventure story, so Truman, T.D., and Helen decide to draw it for her. Much to Martha's dismay, they all add their own special touches, including peanut butter, a ground squirrel, and the Incredible Exo-Skeleton-of-Wow. But when life imitates art, things get a little too exciting! Vocabulary - (E) thrill(ing), hero, villain, astonish, humongous (I) boring, exciting, adventure, incredible, amazing, dull. Starstruck Martha - Martha is thrilled when she hears Courageous Collie Carlo is coming to town. But when Martha unexpectedly reveals how uncourageous Carlo really is, she has to help him save his reputation or Carlo's TV career could be history. Vocabulary - (E) ecstatic, embarrass, enthusiastic, eager, reputation (I) fear, excited, glad, upset, fan.

Firedog Martha - Martha wants to be a firehouse dog, just like her favorite book, Firehouse Freddie. But somehow all the things Freddie makes look so easy-climbing ladders, carrying hoses-aren't as easy for a real dog to do. Will Martha give up on her dream? Vocabulary - (E) reality, fantasy, fiction, imagine, tale, dispatcher (I) story, real, fact(s), pretend, actually. Martha's Pickle - Have giant alien pickles invaded Wagstaff City? Truman saw something just like it in a movie, but he never saw the ending. Now they're racing the clock to figure out how to defeat the aliens, before they're really in a pickle! Vocabulary - (E) bizarre, odd, normal, farfetched, rumor, unusual (I) weird, wacky, ordinary, strange(r), report.

Martha Walks the Dog* (*book based) - There's a new dog in town and, boy, is he mean! He barks so much that nobody can sleep. Helen and Martha decide they have to do something. They try steak, squeaky toys, soothing music, but nothing calms the beast within. Then unexpectedly Ronald's parrot reveals the power of a few well-chosen words. Vocabulary - (E) annoy, beware, insult, pleasant, unpleasant (I) bully, mean, loud, tough, naughty. Martha's Got Talent - Weaselgraft just can't get Martha off his mind. He must have her. Maybe he can tempt her into his clutches with some well-placed praise and a lifetime supply of bones. He invites her to a talent show, and Martha tells the gang. TD, Truman, and Carolina are game, but they aren't the kind of game Weaselgraft was hoping to catch. Vocabulary - (E) coax, compliment, flatter, tempt, praise (I) tongue twister, care, friendly, practice, treat.

Too Many Marthas - When Martha is asked to sing at an animal rescue fundraiser, she's thrilled. But on the day of the concert, Martha gets mixed up with another Martha - a dog belonging to a lady named Jennifer (Jennifer Garner). Can Martha help Jennifer locate her missing pup before it's time to sing? Vocabulary: (E) number, diva, solo, aria, a cappella. Too Much Martha - Martha's constant pursuit of snacks has added some extra pounds and the vet says she needs to lose some weight. The family resolves to help Martha control her portions and maintain a balanced diet, but when Martha learns what this means, she's pretty fed up. No more late-night pizza? Vocabulary: (E) weight, portion, restrict, nutrition, balanced diet.

Oh, Noooo! - Granny Flo's Alphabet Soup is taking a licking from the competition, Oodles of Os. If Granny Flo goes out of business, how will Martha communicate? To increase sales, Helen, Martha, and T.D. set out to convince Granny Flo to advertise on the popular TV show, International Icon. Who will Granny Flo choose as a spokesperson? Vocabulary - (E) deceive(ing), honest(ly), dishonest, mislead(ing), popular (I) trust(ing), believe(able), fooling, right, wrong, ad(vertise)(ment). Bye, Martha - Nefarious con artist Weaselgraft hatches a scheme to kidnap Martha by pretending to be Martha's long-lost owner . . . from Poland. The family sniffs something suspicious, but why has Martha suddenly begun speaking Polish? Will they really have to say pozegnalny to Martha? Vocabulary - (E) deny, admit, claim, false, translate (I) switch(ed) (ing), mistake, trick, fraud.

The Dog Who Came to Dinner - Helen agrees to take care of Mrs. Clusky's dog for a few days, and Martha can't wait to welcome their houseguest. To Martha's chagrin, Francois turns out to be a demanding and manipulative guest who knows just how to charm the humans. When Martha gets blamed for the teacup poodle's bad behavior, something has to be done, but what? Vocabulary - (E) jealous, visitor, privileges, envy, demanding (I) houseguest, welcome, rude, polite, manners. Martha Calling* (*book based) - When Martha wins a trip to the Come-On-Inn from a radio call-in show, there's only one problem: No dogs allowed. Helen and Martha put their heads together to come up with a solution. Enter Granny Martha. But when a "mad dog" eats Granny Martha, pandemonium ensues. Where's Martha and why is everybody running for the exits? Vocabulary - (E) allow(ed), forbid(den), permit, restrict, problem (I) guest, rules, invite, vacation.

Cora! Cora! Cora! - Helen's family friend Kit Luntanne (Jennifer Westfeldt) is upset. She's had to leave her lovable dog, Cora, at home while she travels with her acting troupe. Backstage at the theater, Martha meets Ham Johnson (Jon Hamm), an actor who admires Kit and wants to impress her. Together they hatch a plan to reunite Kit with her dog. What could possibly go wrong? Vocabulary: (E) admire, reunite, ambition, famous, audition. Cora Encore! - Confusion ensues as Martha and Ham cross paths with a troupe of circus dogs who all look exactly like Cora. Can our heroes find the real Cora before she's sent off to perform in the big top? Or before Kit finds out about the mess they've made? Vocabulary: (E) actress, stash, bold, chaos, understudy.

Martha and the Canine Caper - Martha inadvertently helps some stray dogs rob Karl the butcher. Worried that she'll get blamed for the crime, she conceals the evidence and pretends nothing happened. When the canine criminals recruit her for another heist, she's torn between the truth and a really big salami. Vocabulary - (E) distressed, blame, confess, conceal(ing), shame (I) rob, crime, punish, suspect, honest, hurt. Perfectly Martha* (*book based) - Martha thinks there's something fishy about the Perfect Pup Institute. Why are all these dogs behaving so, well, perfectly? Martha is determined to uncover the secret, before any more dogs lose their essential dogginess. Will she succeed or will she become a perfect pup too? Vocabulary - (E) train, imperfect, obedient, disobedient, misbehave (I) wild, good, bad, sneaky, secret.

Martha Blah Blah* (*book based) - Granny Flo decides to cut costs at the soup factory. Who would notice if each bowl of soup had only half the letters of the alphabet anyway? Martha would, that's who. As the letters are subtracted from the soup, they're also subtracted from her speech, and Martha loses her ability to communicate. Has Martha ordered her last burger? Vocabulary - (E) limit, add, subtract, reduce, diminish (I) few, greater, higher, more, less. Skits Behaves - Now that Skits is full grown, his rambunctious behavior has really gotten out of hand. Mom and Dad tell Helen she has to train Skits or he will have to be an outside dog. Helen tries all the latest training techniques with no success, until she realizes there's only one sure-fire training method: practice, lots of practice. Vocabulary - (E) improve(ment), progress, expand, behave, develop (I) better, misbehave, grow(n)(th), manners, learn.

Eyes on the Skies - Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson (Truman's #1 hero), is holding a seminar at the library. Truman becomes more and more certain that his activity partner T.D. is going to embarrass him in front of his idol. Does T.D. have what it takes to become a great scientist? Vocabulary: (E) telescope, seminar, identify, curious, astrophysicist, presentation. Camp Truman - Milo is super-exited to go to Camp Winnetka this summer - he's been packing since Christmas. But when Truman discovers that Camp Winnetka is closing, he takes it upon himself to cheer Milo up -- by showing him how miserable and grueling camp can be. Vocabulary: (E) activity, hike, forage, nature, grueling.

Martha Takes the Cake - It's Alice's birthday and everybody's invited, including Martha. The only problem is that Nelson (Martha's cat nemesis) will be there too. When somebody-or some animal-ruins the birthday cake, Alice's brother Ronald thinks Martha's responsible. Martha proclaims her innocence . . . but why was she surrounded by cake crumbs? Vocabulary - (E) innocent, guilty, biased, witness(ed), evidence (I) judge, jury, trial, prove, true/truth. Codename: Martha - Martha, Helen, and T.D. uncover a plot to rob the jewelry store, or so they think until their two suspects turn out to be police detectives on a stakeout. Now that everybody has gone home in disgrace, how will Martha catch the real criminals? Vocabulary - (E) suspicious, accomplice, plot(ting), proof, expression (I) fishy, partner, plan(ning), positive.

Martha to the Rescue - Martha is inspired by her favorite show, "Courageous Collie Carlo." Unfortunately, her attempts to become a doggie hero don't quite work out the way she plans. In the end, both Martha and Helen discover they can be courageous when it really matters. Vocabulary - (E) rescue, courageous, danger, protect(ion), hero(ic) (I) save, strong, harm, escape, trouble. Martha Camps Out - Ronald finds out that Helen and Alice plan to go camping and warns them about Big Minnie, a mythical monster who lives in the woods. Undeterred, the campers set off. After all, everybody knows Big Minnie's imaginary. Or is she? Vocabulary - (E) honorary, brave(ry), earn, merit badge, frighten(ed) (ing), helpful (I) guard, scared, afraid.

Monkeyshines Martha - Helen's hefty schoolwork load leaves her with little time left to spend with Martha. At loose ends, Martha finds a friend in Professor Monkey, whose wacky inventions propel Martha into a world of new adventures. Vocabulary: (E) relie(f)(ve), genius, unwind, cherish, pressure. Dog Daze - When Carolina chastises Martha for her doggish mannerisms, Martha wishes Carolina could just see things from her point of view. That night, Carolina goes to sleep only to awake as...a dog! What will happen when she's forced to take on a furry, four-legged perspective? Vocabulary: (E) empathy, sympathy, characteristics, mannerisms, point of view.

Martha Speaks* (*book based) - When Martha eats alphabet soup, the letters go to her brain and she develops the ability to talk. And boy, does she talk. After her family complains that she talks too much, she clams up and stops eating her soup. Then a cat burglar breaks into her house, and Martha finds herself speechless. Can she get help in time? Vocabulary - (E) express, discuss(ion), mumble, exclaim, shout (I) speak(ing), jabber(ing), talk, whisper(ing), communicate. Martha Gives Advice - Helen's cousin Carolina is a little bit older but a lot more fashion-conscious. Helen tries to take her advice, even though she's pretty happy with how she looks already. Then Martha becomes the new host of a radio advice show, and people start doing some pretty strange things. Will Helen learn whose opinion really matters? Vocabulary - (E) persuade, defend, encourage, groan(ed), advice (I) (dis)agree, suggest, offer(ing), plead, sigh, opinion.

Return of the Bookbots: The Case of the Missing Words, Part One - The Bookbots are back and faced with a new nemesis: The Announcer. Armed with the power to bring nouns from books to life, the Announcer is wreaking havoc on Wagstaff City. Can our heroes utilize their semantic savvy to stifle this rampaging rapscallion? Vocabulary: (E) noun, remove, term, insert, announce(r). Return of the Bookbots: The Case of the Missing Words, Part Two - The Announcer is still at large and has put the city into grammatical peril. Fortunately, the Bookbots have discovered a secret weapon: adjectives. Equipped with this new linguistic leverage, our heroes may just be able to save their beloved city from their phonological foe. Vocabulary: (E) oath, adjective, define, modify, weightless.

Martha: Secret Agent Dog, Part 1 - Martha is on a super secret mission to find out who's trying to steal the formula for Granny's soup. Can Martha stop the crooks before they put Granny Flo - and Martha's speaking voice - out of commission? Vocabulary: (E) secret agent, service(s), formula, surveillance, defeat(ed) (I) safe, steal, spy(ing), chief, warn. Martha: Secret Agent Dog, Part 2 - The life of a secret agent dog turns out to be trickier than Martha expected. Undaunted, Martha uses disguises and gadgets to hound the evil soup thieves. Vocabulary: (E) trespass(er)(ing), self-destruct, invisible, scheme, mastermind (I) disguise, combination, crook, hideout.

Martha and the One Thousand Fleas - Helen is shocked to find that someone has eaten the cookies she was supposed to sell for the school fundraiser. Feeling stuffed and guilty, Martha knows just the thing to raise the money: a dog circus! Vocabulary: (E) charity, contribut(e)(ions), fundraiser, salesman, benefit (I) funds, grand finale, money, owe, raise(s)(ed). Nice and Crabby - Crabby Mrs. Demson is suddenly friendly, cheerful, and fun. What could be wrong with her? Martha sets out to get to the bottom of the mystery. Vocabulary: (E) complain(t)(ed), disposition, cruel, personality, amiable (I) grumpy, crabby, lovable, cranky, cheerful.

Bulldozer Versus Dinosaur! - T.D. ponders the age-old question: what's more powerful, a bulldozer or a dinosaur? The kids can't come to an agreement, so T.D. does what any boy faced with this question would do. He uses a time machine to bring a dinosaur back from the late Cretaceous period. Let the competition begin. Vocabulary: (E) match, force, equal, contend(er), clash. Carolina Tackles Football - The Wagstaff Dogs are tired of losing every game. In their search for new leadership, the gang is shocked to discover a fanatical football coach in...Carolina? Can the girly-girl protect her image and still bring the team to victory? Vocabulary: (E) pass, tackle, fumble, huddle, intercept(ion).

Skits on Ice - Skits is afraid of hockey pucks, but why? Helen tells the story of how puppy Skits chased a puck onto thin ice, and how quick thinking by Martha saved the day. Vocabulary: (E) risky, thaw(ing), solid, freeze/frozen, defrost (I) ice(y), cold, melt, puck, hockey, thin. Martha's Steamed! - When Helen and Martha discover a dog locked in a hot car on a sweltering summer's day, they snap into action. While they try to track down the owner, it becomes almost impossible for them to keep their cool. Vocabulary: (E) emergency, scorching, parched, sizzling, broiling (I) panting, sweat(y), heat, thirsty, page.