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Learning At Home Schedule – September 2020

Take advantage of this month’s Learning at Home broadcast schedule – great for students returning to hybrid or distance instruction, and families looking to spend some extra, quality time together!

After watching these fascinating programs, explore the PBS LearningMedia and web resources to learn more.

Tuesday, September 8

1 PM: When Whales Walked: Journeys in Deep Time

Discover the evolutionary secrets of some of the world’s most majestic creatures. From voracious crocodiles and acrobatic birds to stupendous whales and majestic elephants, When Whales Walked follows top scientists from around the world on a global adventure as they follow clues from the fossil record and change what we thought we knew about the evolution of iconic beasts.

Wednesday, September 9

1 PM: Harbor from the Holocaust

Harbor from the Holocaust is the story of nearly 20,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II, to the Chinese port city of Shanghai. Explore the extraordinary relationship of these Jews and their adopted city of Shanghai, even through the bitter years of Japanese occupation 1937-1945 and the Chinese civil war that followed.

2 PM: Secrets of the Dead: Bombing Auschwitz

Join historians, survivors and experts as they consider one of the great moral dilemmas of the 20th century. Should the Allies have risked killing Auschwitz prisoners and bombed the camp to stop future atrocities?

Thursday, September 10

1 PM: NOVA: Human Nature

Our DNA can determine attributes from eye color to medical predispositions. An extraordinary technology called CRISPR allows us to edit human DNA, possibly eliminating genetic diseases or choosing our children’s features. But how far should we go?

Friday, September 11

1 PM: 10 Modern Marvels that Changed America

A whirlwind tour of 10 engineering feats that made our civilization possible: from the Erie Canal and Eads Bridge, to the Holland Tunnel and Hoover Dam. Find out which 10 modern marvels made the list.

2 PM: Leaning Out

The lead structural engineer of the World Trade Center oversees the construction of the world’s tallest towers, haunted by their fall ever since. Families of 9/11 victims demand answers. This unique bond with humanity solidifies his place in American history. An intimate look into the life and work of Leslie E Robertson, a legendary engineer in high-rise design and cultural centers across the globe. 

Monday, September 14

1 PM: The Great American Read: Fall Kick Off

Meredith Vieira returns as the Great American Read hits high gear. You spent the summer reading and voting for your favorite novels, now tune in to see which books celebrities, authors, and other readers across the country are rooting for.

2 PM: The Great American Read: Who Am I?

How do the books we love answer the question “Who am I?” We explore first-person narratives and other ways authors tell stories of characters on personal journeys. From navigating the teen years through discovering our “chosen families,” these novels can help us find ourselves at any age.

Tuesday, September 15

1 PM: Dead Reckoning: Champlain in America

Dead Reckoning: Champlain in America tells the story of Champlain and the people who taught him how to explore and survive in the wilds of North America. This film is the first historically accurate, animated documentary on Samuel de Champlain to be broadcast in the United States and Canada. 

2 PM: The Final Invasion: Battle of Plattsburgh

The Final Invasion reveals the amazing struggle of America’s “Forgotten War” with Great Britain in 1812. The film offers a general overview on the causes of the War of 1812 and then concentrates on a key battle that changed the course of American history in 1814. Shot on-location in Great Britain, Canada and the US The Final Invasion features leading authors, re-enactments, previously unpublished diaries and newly discovered documents.

Wednesday, September 16

1 PM: Autumnwatch New England – Episode 1

Grab a seat at the campfire with Samantha Brown and Chris Packham for a live adventure into the culture and wildlife that make fall in New England special. Peek at leaf-changing science, catch backyard drama and see wildlife at night with Bob Poole.

2 PM: Autumnwatch New England – Episode 2

Swirl into the world of maple syrup with Vivian Howard. Take a trip to Maine’s Fryeburg Fair, discover the magic of caterpillars and learn more about the birds soaring across New England skies each fall.

Thursday, September 17

1 PM: Daring Women Doctors: Physicians in the 19th Century

Hidden in American history, all women’s medical schools began to appear in the mid 19th century long before women had the right to vote or own property. Daring Women Doctors highlights the intrepid, pioneering and diverse women who faced hostility and resistance in their pursuit of medical educations.

2 PM: Medicine Woman

She was America’s first Native doctor, breaking barriers of race and gender to heal her traumatized people. A century later, Native women from many tribes follow in the footsteps of Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte. How can they hope to mend the wounds of body and spirit that history has created? What have they learned about new ways of healing that can help us all? Medicine Woman documents their stories.

Friday, September 18

1 PM: Autumnwatch New England – Episode 3

Discover how cranberries and pumpkins became fall fundamentals with Samantha Brown and Chris Packham. Catch gangs of turkeys and rare bird art. Peek into the world of nighttime critters with Bob Poole.

2 PM: NATURE: American Spring LIVE – Birth & Rebirth

Tracing the green wave that sweeps across the continent in spring, see how the rising temperatures and longer days spur plants to awaken and flower, and animals to seek out newly abundant resources for their new families. Discover how animals have incorporated seasonal change into their life cycles and successful reproductive strategies.

Monday, September 21

1 PM: The Great American Read: Heroes

We examine books on America’s list that feature heroic characters. Celebrities, literary experts, authors and everyday book lovers discuss why our favorite heroes are complex and relatable, from the everyday hero to the tragic and unlikely or anti-hero.

2 PM: The Great American Read: Villains and Monsters

How do novels featuring our favorite villains and monsters help us understand why people behave badly?  We examine the evil characters in our favorite novels, to find out why we go to the dark side. We also meet authors who have created some of our best-loved villains.

Tuesday, September 22

1 PM: Islands of Wonder: Madagascar

The oldest island on Earth, Madagascar has been isolated longer than any other place in the world. Life here has had time to evolve in strange and unique ways, resulting in more unique wildlife than possibly any other island on the planet.

2 PM: NATURE: American Spring LIVE – Migration

Breeding and the greening of the landscape are tied to another major spectacle of spring: the mass movements of animals as they take advantage of spring’s bounty. Meet the scientists who track the journeys of animals such as butterflies, birds, bison and bats over vast distances, from winter refuge to spring nesting grounds.

Wednesday, September 23

1 PM: American Masters | Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise

Distinctly referred to as “a redwood tree, with deep roots in American culture,” Dr. Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928-May 28, 2014) led a prolific life. As a singer, dancer, activist, poet and writer, she inspired generations with lyrical modern African-American thought that pushed boundaries. Best known for her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Random House), she gave people the freedom to think about their history in a way they never had before.

Thursday, September 24

1 PM: NATURE: American Spring LIVE – Connections

Learn how plants and animals depend on each other to survive. See first-hand how climate change can break those connections, altering the timing of weather and plant growth, and disrupting the delicate relationships between plants and pollinators such as moths, bees and butterflies.

2 PM: NOVA: Bigger Than T. rex

Almost a century ago, paleontologists found the first tantalizing hints of a monster even bigger than Tyrannosaurus rex, perhaps the largest predator ever to roam the Earth: spectacular fossil bones from a dinosaur dubbed Spinosaurus. But the fossils were completely destroyed during a World War II Allied bombing raid, leaving only drawings, questions, and a mystery: What was Spinosaurus? Now, the discovery of new bones in a Moroccan cliff face is reopening the investigation into this epic beast.

Friday, September 25

1 PM: Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise | Part 1

Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise looks at the last five decades of African American history since the major civil rights victories through the eyes of Henry Louis Gates, Jr., exploring the tremendous gains and persistent challenges of these years.

Monday, September 28

1 PM: The Great American Read: What We Do For Love

How do our favorite novels reflect what we do for love? From classic romance to family dramas, from unrequited passion to unforgettable first love, we take a look at our best-loved books that feature the most important emotion in our lives. And we examine why we are drawn to these stories.

2 PM: American Masters: Margaret Mitchell

Margaret Mitchell was no ordinary writer. The one book she published in her lifetime – Gone With the Wind – sold millions of copies during the Great Depression in America and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1937, 75 years ago. Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel engages leading authors, historians, biographers, and people with personal connections to Mitchell to reveal a complex and mysterious woman.

Tuesday, September 29

1 PM: One Woman, One Vote

How could America claim to be the world’s greatest democracy, but deny the right to vote to women? With an introduction by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, One Woman, One Vote documents the events that culminated in the passing of the 19th Amendment.

Wednesday, September 30

1 PM: Islands of Wonder: Borneo

Borneo, the third largest island on Earth, may seem like a paradise but its harsh landscape proves a struggle to survive. These challenges are the secret to the island hosting a greater diversity of life than almost any other island.

2 PM: NOVA: Making North America | Origins

The epic 3 billion-year story of how our continent came to be. From the palm trees that once flourished in Alaska to titanic eruptions that nearly tore the Midwest in two, discover how forces of almost unimaginable power gave birth to North America.