September 7, 14, 21.
PBS premiers “The Next Generation: An Innovation Mini-Series.” The three one-hour programs profile leading scientists from the United States and abroad. The first episode, for example, focuses on a botanist who cross breeds plants and a DNA researcher who is trying to identify a cancer-causing gene. Teaching guides will be sent to science department heads at 25,000 public and private high schools. Each segment begins at 10 p.m. (EDT).
September 7.
PBS airs “Count on Me,” a onehour math education special that employs comedy, drama, music, animation, and real-life vignettes. The special stresses the importance of parent-child interaction in math. Jane Seymour, Tom Selleck, Shelley Long, Jay Leno, and Branford Marsalis make cameo appearances. The show airs at 8 p.m. (EDT). For a free teacher’s guide, write: KCET, Community Outreach, Attention: “Count on Me,” 4401 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027.
September 7.
PBS presents “High School Stories,” a one-hour special that follows for one day seniors at seven different high schools around the country. Locations include an urban neighborhood in Cambridge, Mass.; an island off the coast of North Carolina; and an Indian reservation in Washington state. The show airs at 9 p.m. (EDT).
September 8.
The Arts & Entertainment Network debuts a new series, titled Civil War Journal. The producers draw on archive material, photographs, and diary entries to bring this turbulent time in U.S. history to life. The hour-long programs air at 8 p.m. (EDT).
September 8.
The Learning Channel presents “Great Books,” three back-to-back, one-hour specials, narrated by actor Donald Sutherland, that examine how and why a particular book becomes a classic. The three books discussed are Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte D’Arthur, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species. Among those interviewed are filmmaker George Lucas and author Anne Rice. The shows air at 8, 9, and 10 p.m. (EDT).
September 16.
The Discovery Channel presents “Birthwrite: Growing Up Hispanic,” a one-hour documentary that examines the works of Hispanic-American writers and how they reflect what it’s like to grow up Hispanic in America. The authors discuss their influences, creative methods, and themes. The show, part of the Discovery Channel’s Assignment Discovery series, airs at 9 a.m. (EDT).
September 21.
The Discovery Channel also presents “The Bill of Rights: Power to the People,” another one-hour Assignment Discover series documentary, this one exploring the contemporary significance of the first 10 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The show airs at 9:00 a.m. (EDT). For a free publication that highlights additional educational programming on both The Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel, call (800) 321-1832.
