TV Smarts

Some broadcast and cable programs contain material included in the public school curriculum and on standardized examinations. Here are viewing tips:

* Today--”Marcel Duchamp--The Secret of Duchamp” (OVTN 7-8 p.m.) Documentary about the mysterious 20th century artist whose influential abstract painting “Nude Descending a Staircase,” painted in 1912, contained no nude nor even a staircase. Also, “Sewing Woman/Double Solitaire/Fighting Grandpa” (KLCS 8-9 p.m.) Airing in observance of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, this trio of short films combines dramatization and documentary footage to tell stories of Chinese, Japanese and Korean immigrant experiences in mid-20th century America.

* Friday--”Structures” (TLC 8:30-9 a.m.) Documentary on the building of skyscrapers, bridges and other large structures. Suggested reading: “Unbuilding,” in which illustrator David Macaulay “disassembles” the Empire State Building for young readers. Also, “Great Books: ‘The Right Stuff’ ” (TLC 8-9 p.m.) Describes how by exposing U.S. astronauts’ flaws, author Tom Wolfe made their heroism even more impressive. Also, “Slot Machines” (DISC 9-10 p.m.) The history and technology behind the casino game.

* Saturday--”Think Tank: Is Mexican Immigration a Crisis or a Blessing?” (KCET 1:30-2 p.m.) Scholars from Colegio de la Frontera Norte, Claremont-McKenna College and the Brookings Institution participate in this talk show. Also, “Conspiracy” (HBO 9-10:45 p.m.) Dramatization of the minutes of a top-secret 1942 meeting reveals how the German government organized the Holocaust. Screenwriter Loring Mandel’s script is directed by Academy Award-winner Frank Pierson with a cast that includes Kenneth Branagh, Stanley Tucci, David Threlfall and Colin Firth.

* Sunday--”Journey Inside Tibet” (KCET 4-5 p.m.) Follows the return of a Tibetan monk to the harsh and bitter land of Tibet. Kris Kristofferson narrates. Also, “Anne Frank” (KABC 9-11 p.m.) Two-part dramatization of “Anne Frank: The Biography” by Melissa Muller covers the periods before, during and after the teenager and her family hid from the Nazis in an Amsterdam attic. Hannah Taylor-Gordon and Ben Kingsley star. For more information, see the U.S. Holocaust Museum’s Web site at https://www.ushmm.org.

* Monday--”Deep in the Lion’s Den” (DISC 7-8 p.m.) Filming this natural history documentary required a camera disguised as a rock, with wheels to maneuver it into a pride of lions. Also, “Pearl Harbor: Battle in Paradise” (TRAV 9-10 p.m.) Documentary describes the geographical setting of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Also, “Codes” (HIST 10-11 p.m.) Traces the evolution of encrypted communication, including Egyptian hieroglyphics, Roman military codes, World War I and World War II code-breaking machines, and electronic-era computer devices.

* Tuesday--”Streets of the World” (TRAV 8-8:30 p.m.) Traces the course of Sunset Boulevard from downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean.

* Wednesday--”Biography: Oscar Wilde” (A&E; 8-9 p.m.) Uses archival material and dramatic readings to recount the life of the legendary Irish wit.

Compiled by Richard Kahlenberg in consultation with Crystal J. Gips, dean of the School of Education, College of St. Rose, Albany, N.Y. Columns available at https://www.calendarlive.com/go/tvsmarts.