Favorite documentaries/educational films ?

[jazzharmony]

Can we start a thread listing our favorite documentaries and educational films for children.  Perhaps we could also add a few words about age range/sensitive subject matter.  

I did try searching the forum to see if a similar thread exists but had no luck.

Anyone have thoughts on the Ken Burns documentaries?  My 10yo is interested in Jazz and Civil War.  I'm unsure of how upsetting these might be.  I imagine there is no way we could include his 7yo sister in the viewing?

[SweetSilver]

We mostly watch nature documentaries for now:  Sharkland, Treasures of the Great Barrier Reef, Born Wild, Relentless Enemies, Triumph of Life.  One that I really loved, but is a little dull for our young family, is Earth and How It Changed History.  I am sure there is more that I can think of.

[Beccadoula]

I have used movies and documentaries often in our school.  I recommend that you view them first, some are so graphic and others are so boring!  Netflix is a pretty good resource much of the time.  What I will often do is just show a movie that is historically accurate and stop it often to talk about things we've read or talked about.  We're currently studying the Romans and I had them watch "The Eagle", but they are much older.  It is very violent.  We're also going to watch parts of Ben Hur for Roman history.  You don't have to show an entire movie or doctumentary - just the parts the talk about or demonstrate the topics you want them to understand more of.

[moominmamma]

We have watched sooooo many over the years. I'm hard-pressed to remember most of them but here are some stand-outs that people might not have heard of:

Seven Up, 14 Up and all its successors: social structure in the UK, following the lives of various children from different social classes, revisiting them every 7 years. Nature vs. nurture, economics, culture, philosophy, so much comes into this. (Suitable age-range varies a bit. The issues get a bit more 'mature' as the kids get older and become adults. Nothing really disturbing, but there's some mental illness, frank talk about relationships, etc.)

Connections by James Burke: A fabulous old series which interweaves discoveries and advanced in scientific thought showing how they were crucial triggers or preconditions for events in history. (Suitable ages: all. Interest level maybe 9+)

The Story of 1: a film about the most fundamental of mathematical concepts, the root of the understanding of the number 1. (All ages. Interest level 9+)

Michael Palin's travelogs (Sahara and Himalaya especially). Endearing, richly educational, immersive and honest. (All ages. Interest level 7+)

Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy: Goldsworrthy is an amazing ephemeral artist, working with elements of nature, creating amazing installations that are united with their landscapes. (Suitability: all ages. Interest level: any.)

The Endurance: about Shackleton's ill-fated trip to Antarctica. (Suitability: 9+? Interest level: same.)

Miranda

[DahliaRW]

My kids are younger, but LOVE Bill Nye the Science Guy.  Ds1 really retains what the show is about.