McCarthy: American Experience (#3107) – Explore the rise and fall of the notorious senator who led a Cold War crusade against Communists. His zealous campaign to root out those he viewed as enemies of the state would test the limits of American decency and democracy.
airs 1/6 at 9 p.m
Country Music- – Explore the history of country music – from its roots in ballads and hymns to its eventual mainstream success – and meet the unforgettable characters and storytellers who made it “America’s Music.” Directed by Ken Burns.
Airs Fridays at 9 p.m. beginning Jan. 3 (repeats Saturday 10 p.m. beginning Jan. 4)
The series continues in February
The Directors (6/60 minute programs) – THE DIRECTORS profiles pioneering film directors of the 20th century are profiled, exploring their lives and featuring classic moments from their careers. This season points the camera at Alfred Hitchcock,Billy Wilder and Howard Hawks.
Playing by the Rules: Ethics at Work (300) 3/30 minute programs – airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. beginning January 2 –The three-part documentary series PLAYING BY THE RULES: ETHICS AT WORK examines how ethics play a major role in contemporary business practices and challenges viewers to think about what they would do in these situations. From debating whether or not to act on insider information, choosing between employee well-being or shareholder obligations, or disclosing a rare but potentially fatal side effect of a newly manufactured drug-ethical decision making is a critical skill. But even the most moral character can be influenced in ethical gray areas.
airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. beginning January 2
Trust Docs 1000 (11/30 minute programs) airs Thursdays at 2 a.m. beginning 12/5 – TRUST DOCS, which is in partnership with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, takes viewers around the globe to explore under-reported stories about critical social issues through personal stories from individuals. This magazine series utilizes short documentaries to translate headlines into human experiences and covers a range of issues including the effects of war, the fight for refugee rights, struggles to adjust to climate change, housing and land rights, global mental health, changing gender identities and more.
#1007 “Storytelling Across the Globe” – Virtual reality experiences, comic books, and architectural mapping are all forms of storytelling being used by artists and activists around the world to raise awareness of social problems. From calling out sexual assault in India to documenting war crimes in Gaza, these modes of communication are connecting people to issues across the world.
airs 1/16 at 2 a.m.
Playing by the Rules: Ethics at Work (300) 3/30 minute programs – The three-part documentary series PLAYING BY THE RULES: ETHICS AT WORK examines how ethics play a major role in contemporary business practices and challenges viewers to think about what they would do in these situations. From debating whether or not to act on insider information, choosing between employee well-being or shareholder obligations, or disclosing a rare but potentially fatal side effect of a newly manufactured drug-ethical decision making is a critical skill. But even the most moral character can be influenced in ethical gray areas.
airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. beginning January 2
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is coming up on January 20th. We have some great resources for you!
There are a number of great videos for all grade levels in Safari MONTAGE. Click on the titles to view the videos in Safari MONTAGE. (Some videos are embedded below and viewable if you are signed into our Safari MONTAGE account already.)
This video from NUMBEROCK presents a song about the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. This video is hosted on YouTube and offered through Safari MONTAGE.
This video from Educational Videos for Students presents a brief biography of civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. and five facts about him that you may have never heard before. This video is hosted on YouTube and offered through Safari MONTAGE.
By watching this program, students will discover what led to the civil rights protests in Selma, Alabama, in 1965. What were the events of Bloody Sunday? What did Martin Luther King Jr. do in its aftermath? How did the official march from Selma to Montgomery on March 21, 1965, unfold? What were the effects of this march? The answers to all of this are covered in depth with detailed graphics, diagrams, and historic video. On-screen multiple-choice reviews at the end of each segment reinforce important concepts. This video is offered through our Learn360 service.
The video, embedded below and linked in the title, opens with a clip from his most famous “I Have a Dream” speech, and moves into the nation’s reaction and the aftermath of his death. It is a thorough examination of Dr. King’s legacy. This video is offered through our Learn360 service.
From award-winning director/producer Peter Kunhardt, King in the Wilderness follows Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the volatile last three years of his life, from the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination in April 1968. Drawing on revelatory stories from his inner circle of friends, the film provides a clear window into the civil rights leader’s character, showing him to be a man with an unshakeable commitment to peaceful protest in the face of an increasingly unstable country. Illuminating and poignant, the documentary – which is tied to the 50th anniversary of King’s death – reveals a conflicted leader whose successes were punctuated in his final years by an onslaught of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, whether the Black Power movement, who saw his nonviolence as weakness, or President Lyndon B. Johnson, who viewed his anti-Vietnam War speeches as irresponsible. With compassion and clarity, King in the Wilderness unearths a stirring new perspective into Dr. King’s character, his radical doctrine of nonviolence, and his internal philosophical struggles prior to his death, inviting a sense of penetrating intimacy and insight into one of the most profound thinkers of our time.
This is An HBO Production offered through our Learn360 service.
In ”Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise,” Henry Louis Gates, Jr. embarks on a deeply personal journey through the last 50 years of African-American history. The first episode of the series begins at a turning point in American history: the Selma marches and Watts riots, which marked a new phase in the African-American struggle. Gates explores the rising call for Black Power, which redefined American culture, politics and society. This program contains strong language. This is a PBS production available through Safari MONTAGE.
IQ Smart Parent (6/30 minute programs) airs Tuesday 2 a.m. beginning 1/14 – IQ: SMARTPARENT equips parents and caregivers with the knowledge and tools they need to successfully guide their children in the use of digital media and technology. The three-part series addresses children’s media consumption – from helping them discern between fiction and reality to safeguarding their online identities. Host Angela Santomero created and executive produced the acclaimed children’s television series Blue’s Clue on Nick Jr., and Super Why! and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood on PBS KIDS. Santomero also hosts PBS’ The Parent Show at PBSparents.org and writes a personal blog about parenting at AngelasClues.com.
Schools That Change Communities – From economically challenged rural areas to crime-ridden urban neighborhoods, SCHOOLS THAT CHANGE COMMUNITIES profiles a diverse range of K-12 public schools in five states – Massachusetts, Maryland, South Dakota, Oregon and California – that are tackling educational reform at the local level. Principals, teachers, students, residents and others discuss place- and community-based education, an interdisciplinary approach which emphasizes hands-on, curiosity-based investigation using the surrounding community and neighborhoods as “living” classrooms. Proponents say this creates not only a different type of learning environment, but a different kind of student. In confronting and solving real-world issues in their own hometowns, the students develop a sense of civic responsibility and pride. The community feels the impact too, whether students are delivering baked goods to neighbors, planting vegetables in a community garden, testing drinking water and air quality, helping restore natural habitats, shining a light on important social issues.
airs 1/13 at 2 a.m.
In 1988, the father of Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, was killed in the Pan Am 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. As a 17-year old girl in 1988, the only information she could get about her father’s death was from the news media. It wasn’t until 3 years had passed, when she went to Scotland and met the people who found her father’s body, that she hadn’t realized there was more to the story than what the media had told her.
Fast forward 31 years, and Michelle is the Executive Director of the National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE), working to advance Media Literacy Education.
Recently Michelle told her personal story on the podcast The Woodshed (created and run by advertising agency Crispin, Porter, and Bogusky). Michelle explains, through the events of her past, how she learned to critically think about the information she was being fed by the media. In this story, we learn why Media Literacy Education is so important to her, and the ensuing conversation explains why it should be important to everyone.
Give it a listen: thewoodshedshow.com
**Please note, there are swear words in the theme song.