Instructional DVDs

Looks at five people working in low-wage jobs in Nevada, Alabama, California, and Florida who are not earning enough to support themselves or their families as the minimum wage does not cover basic needs. It compares those living at the poverty level in America with people in other countries and finds that poor Americans are in worse shape because of the cost of living.

Over three years, the film follows four hard-working individuals as they strive for their piece of the American Dream but find only low wages, dead end jobs, and a tattered safety net in their way.

A character driven documentary film that uses extraordinary access to go behind the doors of an American public hospital struggling to care for a community of largely uninsured patients. The film offers a raw, intimate, and even uplifting look at how patients, staff caregivers each cope with disease, bureaucracy and hard choices.

Examines the history of the division of Berlin after World War II and how it eventually lead to construction of the Berlin Wall. It follows the history of the wall and its effects on the German people until its fall in 1989.

Presents a unique literary biography, tracing Whitman's childhood, various careers, and the evolution of the masterpiece that proved his lifelong work, Leaves of Grass. A collage of photos, paintings, and manuscripts accompanies excerpts of letters from Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson, as well as readings from sections of Leaves of Grass.

This "American experience" production tells Whitman's life story, from his working class childhood in Long Island to his years as a newspaper reporter in Brooklyn when he struggled to support his impoverished family, then to his reckless pursuit of the attention and affection he craved for his work, to his death in 1892 at the age of 72.

For many women raped by the enemy during a time of war, the legacy of assault lives on in the child born of that hateful act. How can the mother look into her child's eyes and not see her assailant? How can the children live with the horrible truth about their conception? Is there any hope for love between these wounded women and the children of the enemy? In a cry for help and justice, victims of war rape and "war babies" tell their stories.

In every American conflict from the Revolution to the Persian Gulf War, American military men and women have captured the horror, pathos and intensity of battle by writing letters home. Collecting 50,000 war letters, using the most compelling and enlightening of the missives and newly discovered home movies, this tells the story of American wars from the viewpoint of the men and women on the frontlines and those who waited at home.

Tells the story of ordinary people in four quintessentially American towns - Waterbury, Connecticut; Mobile, Alabama; Sacramento, California; and Luverne, Minnesota - and examines the ways in which the Second World War touched the lives of every family on every street in every town in America.

A two-hour documentary looking at this important historic event from several perspectives, the American, Canadian, British and Native American. The program will have some limited but very well done reenactments and major historians, authors, and experts.

The French and Indian War pitted French forces for almost a decade against the British, yet few Americans realize its historic contribution to the revolutionary fervor which swept the continent in 1776. The critical and sophisticated role of Native Americans in this conflict is highlighted.

Travel with NOVA to remote reaches of the Amazon rainforest to visit the Yanomami, an endangered tribe whose culture is built on fierce rivalries and communal harmony. Watch as two Yanomami villages attempt to reconcile past differences by sharing in a great feast. Family drama unfolds against the background of everyday life.

Water on the Table features Maude Barlow, who is considered 'an international water warrior' for her crusade to have water declared a human right...More than a portrait of an activist, [the film] presents several dramatic opposing arguments. Barlow's critics are policy and economic experts who argue that water is no different than any other resource, and that the best way to protect freshwater is to privatize it.

Contents: Presentation contents: Introduction -- Water source heat pump unit operation -- Water source heat pump system operation -- System advantages and disadvantages -- Product overview -- System overview -- System application topics -- Geothermal systems -- Codes and standards -- System sizing and layout tips -- System controls -- Summary.

Documents serious water issues the world and all of humanity are facing. Includes: the devastating floods and droughts in Bangladesh, the sea overtaking the dams in Holland, the Tsunami in southeast Asia, and the massive hurricane that destroyed the city of New Orleans. Can the global community work together to deal with impeding calamities and perhaps avert a world catastrophe before it is too late?

Swiss artists Peter Fischli and David Weiss harness air, water, fire, chemical reagents and common household items to enact a chain reaction, applying the principles of cause and effect to generate a continuous process 100 feet long.

Chronicles the final decades of the American frontier from the time of the Gold Rush until after the last gasp of the Indian wars at Wounded Knee.

This documentary takes an accessible, non-clinical approach that communicates the serious consequences of obesity, while also offering strategies for change.

People today work harder and take better care of their health than any previous generation. So how could two-thirds of us fail to measure up when it comes to eating right and exercising? HBO and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences have joined together to bring you the nation’s foremost experts and definitive research on weight and weight loss. The Weight of the Nation explains how we got to this unhealthy place and how we can get to a healthy weight by overcoming the forces that drive us to eat too much and move too little.

See the countless applications and breakthrough technologies behind welding's powerful bonds, utilizing electricity, fire, sonic waves, and even raw explosive power.

Created to meet the needs of a steadily growing American senior population, this series addresses important issues that affect the quality of life of older men and women, as well as their spouses, family, and friends. Through scenes of daily living, interviews, and expert commentary, these programs provide valuable insights and advice on mental wellness, the key to successful aging.

What are dreams and why do we have them? NOVA joins the leading dream researchers as they embark on a variety of neurological and psychological experiments to investigate the world of sleep and dreams. Delving deep into the thoughts and brains of a variety of dreamers, scientists are asking important questions about the purpose of this mysterious world we escape to at night.

The source of the earth's great variety of animals was a scientific mystery until Charles Darwin proposed the idea of natural selection. Nova presents breakthroughs in a new science nicknamed "evo devo" that are linking the enigma of origins to another of nature's mysteries, the development of embryos.

Viewers will learn how prices are assigned to objects, who benefits from them, and how prices can influence a shopper's choice of purchase.

This program "chronicles the experiences of a new generation of college students, in this case over the course of 16 weeks of intergroup dialogue on the U.C. Berkeley campus. As they confront themselves and each other about race, they discover they often lack awareness of how different their experience of campus life is from their peers, to the detriment of an inclusive campus climate."

Demonstrates that pretend play is not an idle activity, but an essential arena for the child's intellectual, social, emotional and imaginative development. The program observes young children in play sequences that require planning negotiating collaborating, taking roles and developing narratives. In these sequences, children explore language and the imaginative 'as' if thinking that leads to advanced intellectual functioning.

Neglect occurs when a child's physical, emotional, educational, and medical needs are not met. See what behaviors may lead to neglect, and learn what happens when parents and caregivers fail to provide for their children. Find out where to turn for help, and how to foster a healthy parent/child relationship--container.

Learn the six most common types of emotional abuse: rejecting, terrorizing, isolating, ignoring, corrupting, and exploiting, and their lasting impact on children. See what steps to take if a child is suspected of suffering from emotional abuse, as well as ways to get help if the abuse is happening within the family.

Profiles the efforts of four schools in New York, California and New Jersey to introduce children to the natural world and to involve them, through outdoor play, class activities, and their own creative work, in a process of outdoor discovery.

The greatest impacts from climate change will not be warmer temperatures but water shortages. Learn how America's water infrastructure is incapable of handling these changes.

This film explores race and racism in the United States through the lens of whiteness and white privilege.

Explores "the thorny balancing act between motherhood and artistic expression ... Follows five women artists as they navigate the challenges of making work outside the elite art world."

Forensic experts examine DNA evidence to determine the identity of one of the most infamous killers in history.

Explores the phenomenon of effortless slimness and its biological causes. Investigates genetic factors, evolutionary influences, and learned behavior associated with zero weight gain, as well as the possibility that a virus could be responsible for some obesity cases. Based on a 1967 experiment involving Vermont State Prison inmates, follows ten volunteers who agree to double their normal intake of calories over four weeks--producing intriguing physiological results.

This heart warming film explores why people of a variety of ages, cultures, and gender orientation, still want to marry in an era when it is socially acceptable for couples to live together, forgoing wedding vows.

This program spotlights researchers who are unlocking the deepest secrets of speech: Deb Roy and the human Speechome Project; Tecumseh Fitch and his study of vocal tract positioning in animals; Cathy Price, who is piecing together a speech-related map of the brain; William Fifer and his study of the roots of language reception in babies; Ofer Tchernichovski, who is conducting the Forbidden Experiment with zebra finches; Faraneh Vargha-Khadem and the isolation of speech gene FOXP2; and Simon Kirby, whose Alien Language Experiment illustrates the evolution of language from random to structured.

Based on the short story by Willa Cather. The touching and tragic story of a working class boy who desperately wants to be a part of moneyed society, so he steals money from his employer.

Presents some of James's most important formulations, including his discussions of habit, consciousness, will, and religious experience.

Explore the technical side and changing world of wine. Visit wineries, the worlds' most historic wine cellar and the oldest restaurant in Paris. Marvel at widespread global production and consumption that were unthinkable just twenty years ago. And learn how aerial imaging and infrared photography once used by NASA to map the moon is now employed by wineries to analyze soil, vine vigor, and even disease.

Don't know enough about wine? Would you like to know more? This entertaining and informative DVD makes learning about wine easy and fun. Covers tasting, purchasing, and pairing wine with food.

Meet Chardonnay, the ugly duckling of the wine family. Wine educator Mark Davidson examines this fascinating blend and the reasons behind why it sometimes gets such a bad rap in the world of wines.

Learn how the balance of barrels, British Columbia, and Bordeaux blends can create Meritage, a complex, food-friendly wine that is easy on the palette and the pocketbook.

Discover how grapes that are the most difficult to grow can produce wines that are not only food-friendly, but good for you.

Gain a new understanding of Australian Shiraz while you uncover the value in a country that has some of the oldest vines on the planet.

The first major documentary study of Winslow Homer, this program features over 180 images of Homer oil paintings, watercolors, etchings, and illustrations, combined with in-depth commentary from respected art scholars and historians...

The story of three young men living with permanent brain damage as a result of head injuries they suffered pursuing extreme sports.

An interactive program that discusses safety practices and introduces additional electrical components. Step-by-step construction of a simplified wiring diagram; covering power, control, and load circuits for a typical packaged air conditioner with electric heat. Lesson modules are combined with related quizzes and troubleshooting exercises.

This video covers the general installation of electrical conduits and wires and aspects of wiring particular to new construction and older homes. Pulling cable on a construction site and setting up a structured wiring system are emphasized.

Offers a new depth of understanding of the concepts of psychoanalyst Carl Jung and serves as an introduction to those concepts for the beginner. Interviews with Jung followers show his "user-friendly" psychological approach to life.

On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Brown vs. Board of Education that the concept of "separate but equal" school segregation was unconstitutional. Director Peter Gilbert explores the history and legacy of the legal decision.

Introduces a cross section of disabled Americans who live full, productive lives despite their disabilities.

Dramatizes the life story of Eastman as he fought relentlessly to create and then dominate the consumer camera market.

Introduces metals, metallurgy, and metalworking. Discusses the properties of metals, including their mechanical properties. Examines several industrial manufacturing processes. Covers iron and standard steels. Explains the different kinds of heat treatment and their usage. Discusses some techniques of working with copper, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, lead, nickel, tin, and zinc.

Monsanto Company is the world's leader in agricultural chemicals, seed and genetically modified crops, as well as being one of the most controversial companies in industrial history. Shows how the company promoted such products as Roundup (glyphosate), bovine growth hormone, and genetically modified plants.

Central African Republic has one of the most extraordinary legal systems in the world. Every year, the government investigates, prosecutes and imprisons hundreds of people for committing the crime of witchcraft. One judge, however, doesn't believe in magic and does everything in his power to get the cases against the accused witches dismissed.

Here is the complete story of World War I, captured as never before in riveting combat footage and gripping historical analysis.

This definitive history of World War I uses rare archive footage from worldwide sources, including Britain's Imperial War Museum.

Follows patients and families facing critical medical decisions as they navigate their way through the health care system. Provides a look at a variety of patients' cultures and the culture of medicine. Raises an awareness about the role sociocultural barriers play in patient-provider communication and in the provision of healthcare services for culturally and ethnically diverse patients.

This program is based on a Eudora Welty short story about a 95-year-old African-American woman who undertakes a long journey into town to get medicine for her ailing grandson.

This program shows how effective written communication is possible for anyone, even those who struggle to complete a simple fax or e-mail.