How tackling tough topics helped Sesame Street endure for 5 decades

In the five decades since it first aired on television screens across the U.S., Sesame Street has helped teach children to count, to spell, and has exposed them to all kinds of music.

But it's the show's willingness to defy the typical boundaries of children's television that set Sesame Street apart and allowed it to live on with such lasting impacts.

"The show has always had a very explicit curriculum, really clear learning goals," said Joe Blatt, a faculty member of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and an educational consultant for Sesame Street.

"[The show] was also based on research both research about what kids needed, and then testing to make sure that the production was really working for those kids."

Sesame Street marks its 50th anniversary on Sunday. HBO will air a special 50th anniversary celebration of the show on Saturday evening.

Show grapples with tough topics

In addition to teaching children about counting and the alphabet, Sesame Streetdidn't shy away from difficult andemotionally sensitive subjects.

After Will Lee the actor who played the human character Mr. Hooper died of a heart attack in real life, Sesame Street incorporated the loss into the show.

In a 1983 episode, Big Bird learns that Mr. Hooper's death means he won't be able to visit anymore.

Watch as Big Bird learns why he won't be able to see Mr. Hooper again.

Over the years, Sesame Street has also featured characters with Down syndrome, HIVand autism.

Blatt said these are important moments for the show.

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"Going beyond the curriculum to embrace kids' emotional needs and the real issues that surface in their lives is really one of the breakthrough aspects of Sesame Street," Blatt told Day 6.

"Kids are smarter than we often tend to give them credit for and when you're trying to dodge a topic or smooth it over, they often know. So it's really important to meet them where they are."

Many children who face tragedies and hardships in their lives often don't have the resources to work through them, Blatt added.

"And so Sesame is doing that."

Click 'Listen' above to hear the full conversation.