Our documentary videos (20-90 minutes) feature long form, in-depth exploration of a topic, location, person, etc.  Click on a title below to view a sample video and its supplemental curriculum materials.

# of Current Videos:  43
41 videos are 20 to 90 minutes; 1 is less than 20 minutes and 1 video is longer than 90 minutes

Humanities and Social Studies Samples

A New Leaf:  Reimagining Henry Shaw’s Museum
It is one of St. Louis’ most historically significant buildings. And one of its most forgotten. But after more than a century of decline, Henry Shaw’s museum is once again the Missouri Botanical Garden’s gallery, thanks to a multi-million-dollar restoration that was filled with challenges no one anticipated, and discoveries of treasures no one knew existed. Documentary filmmaker Paul Schankman spent 18 months following the museum’s remarkable rebirth, “A New Leaf: Reimagining Henry Shaw’s Museum” tells two stories; one, about the painstaking effort to bring Shaw’s museum back to its original glory; and the other, how the building reveals the history of the garden itself, as it grew to become one of the finest in the world.

True Gaelic:  Searching for Ireland’s Lost History
True Gaelic: Searching for Ireland’s Lost History is a documentary that takes you along as archeologists unearth a mysterious Irish lordship dating to the Middle Ages. Powerful Irish lords ruled over this land but very little has been known about their uniquely Gaelic way of life—until now. This excavation promises to rewrite Irish history as the unknown culture of Gaelic Ireland is revealed. Join HEC-TV and Saint Louis University on this groundbreaking journey to unearth medieval Ireland.

STEAM and STEM Samples

The Science Behind Explosives
“5..4..3..2..1…” That’s the sequence as experts at Bussen Quarry demonstrate how they safely and successfully blast the rock that is used to build America’s roads and bridges. Explore the science and planning involved in creating a safe and effective explosion.

Full Circle:  St. Louis Recycles
Full Circle, St. Louis Recycles introduces viewers to the basics of recycling, and takes a look at some of the most innovative and resourceful recycling that is taking place in St Louis.

Arts and Arts Integration Samples

The Best of Us:  100 Seasons of Muny Magic
The Municipal Theatre of St. Louis, affectionately known as The Muny, has been a part of St. Louis life for generations.  The largest outdoor theatre in the country, it has been staging original productions of Broadway musicals each summer since 1919.  “The Best of Us: 100 Seasons of Muny Magic” is a tribute to this world-renowned institution.  Featuring dozens of interviews with actors, performers, craftspeople and audience members, and rare glimpses backstage, the film demonstrates that The Muny is a place like no other.

Weaving Musical Traditions
Weaving Musical Traditions examines the journey of traditional American music that originated in Scotland in the 1600’s and traveled through Appalachia, the Ohio River Valley, and into Missouri after 1812.