TV Smarts

Some broadcast and cable programs contain material included in the public school curriculum, standard exams and the California Reading List. Here are home-viewing tips:

* Today-- “John Singer Sargent: Outside the Frame” (KCET 10-11 p.m.) Documentary on the French-educated American artist, known for his portraits of the rich and famous of the Gilded Age. He also was a masterful landscapist who combined classic technique with realism and Impressionism. Jacqueline Bisset narrates.

* Friday--”Martial Arts--The Real Story” (TLC 9-10 p.m.) Documentary filmed in Chinese and Indian villages where martial arts are practiced in their original cultural and religious contexts.

* Saturday--”Conversation With Jane Goodall” (KLCS 8-9 p.m.) Goodall discusses her childhood interest in chimpanzees. Her book “In the Shadow of Man” is recommended on the California Reading List. See https://www.startest.com.

* Sunday--”60 Minutes” (KCBS 7-8 p.m.) Includes an updated report on the “Harry Potter” series about a young wizard that has made J.K. Rawling one of the most popular authors in the world. Also, “Longitude” (A&E; 8-10 p.m.) Historical movie dramatizes the fierce competition to find a solution to the navigational problem of calculating longitude, which 250 years ago was a challenge comparable to modern space scientists’ problem of aiming a rocket. Jeremy Irons and Michael Gambon star. Special educational Web site at https://www.aande.com/tv/shows/longitude. Also, Rosewood” (KNBC 8-11 p.m.) Director John Singleton’s factual account of racial conflict in rural Florida during the 1920s. Ving Rhames stars. Rated R.

* Monday--”When Will This Cruel War Be Over” (HBO 4:30-5 p.m., repeats 7:30-8 p.m.) Historical drama for young viewers about a fictional diarist, a privileged 14-year-old Southern girl who experiences love and loss during the Civil War.

* Tuesday--”The Beast of Loch Ness” (KCET 8-9 p.m.) The latest instrumentation is used to determine whether a Scottish coastal inlet is home to a huge marine animal.

* Wednesday--”Sunrise at Campobello” (TCM 5-7 p.m.) Ralph Bellamy reprises the role that won him a Tony award for his portrayal of Franklin Roosevelt. Greer Garson co-stars. Eleanor Roosevelt’s book, “This I Remember,” is recommended on the California Reading List at https://www.startest.com.

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Compiled by Richard Kahlenberg in consultation with Crystal J. Gips, dean of the School of Education, College of St. Mary, Albany, N.Y. Columns available at http://my.nohib.com/tvsmarts.