Learning at Home | Week of 5/30 – 6/03

Take advantage of this week’s Learning at Home broadcast schedule – great for students engaged in 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.

Highlight of the Week

Silent Sacrifice: Stories of Japanese American Incarceration in Central California and Beyond
Tuesday, May 31, 1 PM

Valley PBS presents this two-hour documentary film based on the experience of Japanese Americans before, during and after WWII with a focus on local Assembly Centers, Merced, Fresno, Pinedale and Tulare.

Learning at Home
Week of 5/30 – 6/03

Monday, May 30

1 PM: Elvis and the USS Arizona

Elvis and the USS Arizona tells the surprising story of how one of music’s biggest icons helped to establish a USS Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor. Elvis’ fundraising concert drew public attention to the plight and helped to galvanize efforts to finish the USS Arizona Memorial as it stands today.

2 PM: The Misty Experiment: The Secret Battle for the Ho Chi Minh Trail

The story of the special U.S. Air Force squadron whose pilots volunteered for one of the Vietnam War’s most dangerous air missions. Their assignment: search for enemy supply transports and anti-aircraft installations concealed within the web of trail paths and waterways collectively known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The squadron also directed rescue operations for U.S. and allied aircrews shot down.


Tuesday, May 31

1 PM: Silent Sacrifice: Stories of Japanese American Incarceration in Central California and Beyond

Valley PBS presents this two-hour documentary film based on the experience of Japanese Americans before, during and after WWII with a focus on local Assembly Centers, Merced, Fresno, Pinedale and Tulare.


Wednesday, June 1

1 PM: NATURE: Equus “Story of the Horse” | Origins

The relationship between man and his noble steed is almost as old as civilization itself, allowing our species to explore, conquer and flourish side by side with the horse. NATURE traces this revolutionizing partnership with anthropologist Niobe Thompson in this two-part series. In “Origins,” explore the fascinating evolutionary journey of the horse, from its tiny forest-dwelling ancestor called the Dawn Horse to the modern steed. Encounter scientists unlocking the genetic basis of horsepower and decoding their emotional intelligence.

2 PM: NOVA: Ice Age Footprints

Thousands of prehistoric footprints left by Ice Age humans and animals stretch for miles across the blinding white surfaces of New Mexico’s White Sands National Park. The phenomenal collection of prints preserves a unique series of snapshots of life and behavior, capturing moments when humans crossed paths with extinct Ice Age beasts, including enormous ground sloths and mammoths.


Thursday, June 2

1 PM: NOVA: Great Escape at Dunkirk

As France fell to the German armies in May 1940, 400,000 Allied troops were trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk. Their annihilation seemed certain—a disaster that could have led to Britain’s surrender. But then, in a last-minute rescue, Royal Navy ships and a flotilla of tiny civilian boats evacuated hundreds of thousands of soldiers to safety across the Channel—the legendary “miracle of Dunkirk.”

2 PM: They Volunteered For This: Merrill’s Marauders

Narrated by television news icon Tom Brokaw, “They Volunteered For This: Merrill’s Marauders” is an hour-long film focusing on one of World War II’s most heroic and least talked about units. “Merrill’s Marauders” fought in Burma in 1944-1945 under the legendary General Frank Merrill. The Marauders were all volunteers who specialized in “hit and run” tactics in the jungles and mountains of Burma. The unit received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2020 for their sacrifice and accomplishments.


Friday, June 3

1 PM: Great Performances | Keeping Company with Sondheim

Filmed over two years, this new documentary takes an exclusive inside look at Tony-winning director Marianne Elliott’s creative process of bringing a reimagined gender-swapped production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s musical “Company” to Broadway during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

2:30 PM: Beyond the Canvas: Art: Innovated

A new half-hour program, Beyond the Canvas, showcases some of the nation’s leading cultural creators — musicians, playwrights, comedians, costume designers, among many others — who show us how they turn their visions of the world into art. In this episode, Beyond the Canvas celebrates the spirit of innovation. We feature artists and creators who are pushing the boundaries of their own art forms. Conversations include comedian Ziwe and recent Grammy-winner Arooj Aftab.

Learning at Home on Mountain Lake PBS is supported by:
Adirondack Foundation