Friday, December 15
9-10 p.m. E/P

PBS

Subjects: Science and World History

Middle and High School

"Secrets Of The Dead: Amazon Warrior Women"

The myth of the Amazons, a tribe of warrior women thundering across wilderness battlefields frightening their male foes, has lingered for centuries. Their exploits seized the imagination of Greek scribes Homer, Hippocrates and Herodotus. But proof of their existence had always been lacking. Now, a 2,500-year-old mystery may just be solved, cracked by an American scientist whose 10-year odyssey led her tens of thousands of miles in pursuit of the truth. After unearthing a culture of ancient warrior women in the Russian steppes, Dr. Jeannine Davis-Kimball followed a trail of artifacts to a remote village in Mongolia, where her quest for a living link to a long-imagined tribe ended with a startling discovery. TV-PG

Saturday, December 16
8-10 p.m. E/P

Discovery Channel

Subjects: Science and World History

High School

"What Makes Us Human?"

This is a broadcast of both hours of a documentary miniseries about scientists' changing ideas about the human brain. Back in the 19th century, scientists studying microcephaly - a condition that severely stunts brain growth - were convinced that they had found an evolutionary missing link. Later, researchers came up with more details about human and ape brains. Having argued that the essential difference between ape and man is our big, intelligent brain, scientists are now asking, how have we used this brain to shape the world around us? TV-PG

Sunday, December 17
7-8 p.m. ET, 4-5 p.m. PT

National Geographic Channel

Subjects: World History and Archaeology

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Science of the Bible Jesus: The Man"

Who was Jesus and how did a youth from rural Galilee grow up to become one of the world's greatest spiritual leaders? Did he grow up in a traditional Jewish family? Did he have brothers and sisters? How did he dress? There are few details about his youth in the Bible. But newly discovered archeological evidence will shed light on both the social influences that shaped Jesus' young life, and his encounter with John the Baptist, the man many scholars believe was the mentor of Jesus.

Monday, December 18
9-10 p.m. E/P

PBS

Subjects: American History

Middle and High School

"Sweetwater Rescue: The Willy And Martin Handcart Story"

If you're a fan of those "reality" or "survivor" TV programs, here's one about a survivor incident that was really real, not staged for the cameras. The program tells the story of 1,200 emigrants from England and Europe who became stranded on the high plains of Wyoming in late October 1856 on their way to the Salt Lake Valley. They were rescued in one of the greatest acts of heroism of the 19th century. TV-PG

Tuesday, December 19
8-10 p.m. E/P

History Channel

Subjects: U.S. History

High School

"Aftershock: Beyond The Civil War"

Despite common belief, the U.S. Civil War does not end in 1865, and the blood of many Americans continued to flow. It was a period known as "Reconstruction." America was supposed to be reuniting and healing its wounds, but what emerged was murder, terrorism and chaos. Black men and women, although legally "freed slaves" became victims of oppression in a South that did not completely surrender. Insurgencies led by ex-Confederate soldiers ripped through every southern state. America's first terrorist group, the Ku Klux Klan, was formed. Hundreds were killed in citywide race riots, like the infamous New Orleans Massacre of 1866. Counter-insurgency groups formed, like the Lowry Gang, who fought a guerilla-style battle against Confederates. Northerners, called "carpetbaggers" like D.P. Upham, battled the Klan in Arkansas. All Americans felt the Civil War's aftershocks for years, and some believe its tremors are felt even today. Rating: TVPG

Tuesday, December 19
9-10 p.m. E/P

PBS

Subjects: Social Science and Economics

Middle and High School

"Frontline: The Persuaders"

This documentary looks at the multibillion-dollar "persuasion industries" of advertising and public relations. To cut through mass-media clutter and to overcome consumers' growing resistance to their pitches, marketers have developed new ways of integrating their messages deeper into the fabric of our lives. Through sophisticated market research methods to better understand consumers and by turning to the little-understood techniques of public relations to make sure their messages come from sources we trust, marketers are crafting messages that resonate with an increasingly cynical public. In this documentary, correspondent Douglas Rushkoff (NYU professor and correspondent for FRONTLINE's "The Merchants of Cool") also explores how the culture of marketing has come to shape the way Americans understand the world and themselves and how the techniques of the persuasion industries have migrated to politics, shaping the way our leaders formulate policy, influence public opinion, make decisions and stay in power.

Log on http://www.pbs.org/frontline

Wednesday, December 20
9-10 p.m. E/P

National Geographic Channel

Subjects: U.S. and World History and Science

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Christmas Out of the Box"

This documentary examines scientific and historical stories behind the Christmas holiday. From the physics behind Santa's global trek, to the analysis of real reindeer noses, to new theories behind the biblical star of Bethlehem, the show digs into the little-known facts and pop culture conventions. It reveals the changing historical nature of Santa Claus, from the leaner, more solemn Father Christmas in England and Sinterklaas in Holland, to the 1823 poem giving Saint Nick a bag of toys and a chimney to climb, to the 1931 Coca Cola ad campaign that would set the pattern for future Santas. It shows how retailers use science to maximize their annual $450 billion jackpot. The show details how U.S. and Canadian military gets into the Christmas spirit, using radar to simulate Santa's around-the-world flight. After a newspaper in 1955 misprinted a "Santa hotline" number, inserting a military base's number instead, NORAD was flooded with calls from kids. Staffers responded by saying they would check their radar images on Christmas Eve and alert callers to Santa's whereabouts - and the tradition continues today. Finally, physicist Gabriel Durkin calculates that Santa would need to travel over 780 times the speed of the space shuttle, or roughly 3,800 miles per second, to get the job done.

Thursday, December 21
9-10 p.m. E/P

PBS

Subjects: Social Science

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Channukah Celebration"

In this program, airing on the final day of the multi-day Jewish holiday of Channukah, Fran Drescher hosts, songs and home-entertainment tips from Jeff Nathan; Teresa Strasser; recording artist Craig Taubman; and Irwin Kula, who gives a contemporary telling of the "Eight Lights of Chanukah."

Friday, December 22
8-11 p.m. E/P

Discovery Times Channel

Subjects: American History

High School

"CIA: America's Secret Warriors"

Airing during the theatrical run of a feature movie version of the history of the CIA, "The Good Shepard", this is a broadcast three documentaries about the development of the CIA. The first hour, entitled "The Brotherhood" describes how the Central Intelligence Agency was created after World War II, dedicated to stopping communist expansion and securing U.S. world leadership. Anticommunist zeal and secrecy led the mission astray. The second hour, "Betrayal" how secrecy is vital to a spy's espionage work, but also allows for deceit and cover-up. CIA classifications of "Top Secret," "Eyes Only," and "National Security" have been used to hide its own botched operations. The final hour, "CIA: Stars on the Wall" is about CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, where a granite wall bears the insignia of over 50 stars, each representing an officer killed in a covert operation. George Tenet reveals the stories of these heroes. All 3 programs rated TV-PG

Saturday, December 23
3:15-6 p.m. E/P

TCM

Subjects: English and Arts

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Oliver!"

Rather than suggesting Charles Dickens' "Christmas Carol" for holiday viewing, here's something slightly different. This is an Oscar-winning musical version of another Dickens classic ??? the one about an orphan taken in by a rough band of London street urchins. It's one of those rare films like "The Wizard of Oz" that appeals in many ways to all sorts of people. TV-PG. Available on video and DVD.

Saturday, December 23
7-8 p.m. E/P

Discovery Channel

Subjects: Science

Elementary, Middle and High School

"MythBusters' Holiday Special!"

This is a science series even though the hosts try not to say so. In this episode they investigate some examples of holiday lore. Could reindeer really help Santa fly? What's the best way to keep all the needles on your Christmas tree? Also, they find out how much yodelling it actually takes to start an avalanche. TV-PG