Indian Country Diaries

PBS, November. Check local listings for dates/times.

In conjunction with American Indian Heritage Month, PBS airs two “diaries” as a “State of the Union” for modern American Indian cultures. A Seat at the Drum follows a journalist from the Bad River Ojibwe tribe as he searches for a sense of community in Los Angeles. Spiral of Fire documents the journey of a Choctaw author as she visits the Eastern Band of Cherokees in North Carolina. A study guide can be found at  www.indiancountrydiaries.org.

Careers in Film

Discovery Channel, November 9, 5 a.m. ET/PT.

Explore the careers of foley artists (sound effects wizards), wildlife filmmakers, animators, film producers, actors, and set designers. Can be taped and used in the classroom for one year. Teaching materials are available at www.discoveryschool.com.

A Touch of Greatness

PBS, November 14, 10 p.m., ET/PT. Check local listings.

From Independent Lens, this Emmy-nominated documentary follows maverick public school teacher Albert Cullum as he rejects Dick and Jane and teaches Shakespeare and Sophocles to his fifth-grade classroom in New York. For more, go to www.pbs.org/independentlens/touchofgreatness.

Christmas in Yellowstone

PBS, November 19 & December 24, 8 p.m. ET.  Check local listings.

This holiday postcard from Nature depicts Christmas in no ordinary place. Winter transforms Yellowstone, with its unique combination of hot springs, cold temperatures, and wild animals. Ice crystals create an otherworldly curtain to view the animals as they forage for food.

Conquest of America

History Channel, November 20–23, 6 a.m. ET/PT.

This series follows the exploration of North America through the men who undertook the journeys. Episodes include a look at Coronado’s 1540 expedition; the New World fight between Spain and France over Florida; Henry Hudson’s search for a northern sea route to the East Indies; and Vitus Bering’s expedition to determine whether Asia and America were connected. Tape and use in the classroom for two years. Teaching materials are at www.history.com/classroom/guides .

In the Womb: Animals

National Geographic Channel, December 10, 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Appropriate for mature students and their families, this fascinating show follows the path from conception to birth in three mammals—an elephant, dolphin, and dog. Beginning with candid shots of mating, the narrative cuts to computer graphics depicting a sperm’s 12-hour trip to the egg. Later, 4-D ultrasound pictures show the development of each animal as it moves and grows within the womb.

On TV listings are provided by KIDSNET, a national resource for children’s media in Washington, D.C., www.kidsnet.org, and by Cable in the Classroom’s Access Learning magazine at www.ciconline.org.