TV Smarts

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

* Today--”New Hampshire Presidential Primary Debate” (C-SPAN, KCET, KABC, KNBC 4-5 p.m.) Live broadcast of a debate among Republican presidential candidates Gary Bauer, George W. Bush, Orrin Hatch, Steve Forbes, Alan Keyes and John McCain. NBC’s Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert moderates. Also, “Inside the Animal Mind” (KCET 8-9 p.m.) Initial episode of three-part “Nature” documentary is titled “Are Animals Intelligent?” Steve Kroft narrates. Subsequent episodes air Jan. 13 and 20. Compare with “Animal Telepathy” (DISC 9-10 p.m.), an episode of the documentary series “Science Mysteries.”

* Friday--”A Century of Living” (HBO 8-9 p.m., repeats Tuesday at 5:45 p.m.) Seventeen people born in 1900 or earlier recall key 20th century events and trends. Also, “The Eiffel Tower” (DISC 8-9 p.m.) When TV coverage of millennium celebrations around the world focused on Paris’ 19th century engineering marvel, The Times noted “that city’s famous landmark for the moment seemed to be the center of the universe.” This is a documentary about why and how Gustave Eiffel’s tower, quite hated 100 years ago, was built.

* Saturday--”Crayola Kids: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and “Crayola Kids: The Adventure of Gulliver’s Travels” (ODSY 10 a.m.-noon) Children 10 or 11 years old are featured characters in one-hour versions of the Jules Verne and Jonathan Swift classics. Suggested for taping. For more information, log on to www.odysseychannel.com or call (818) 755-2400. Also, “American Revolutionary” (A&E; 5-6 p.m. repeats 9-10 p.m.) Documentary on the guerrilla war strategy pioneered by George Washington in the 18th century, which 20th century revolutionary leader Mao Tse-tung said served as the model for keeping an underdog army intact and bringing it to victory.

* Sunday--”The Winds of Kitty Hawk” (HIST 8-10 a.m.) Historically accurate movie version of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s efforts 100 years ago to build and fly the world’s first successful airplane. Michael Moriarty and David Huffman star. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum scientists T.D. Crouch and Peter Jakab were historical advisors. Also, “Paul Taylor: Dancemaker” (KCET 8-9:30 p.m.) This Academy Award-nominated “American Masters” documentary is about one of the country’s greatest living choreographers.

* Monday--”The Crossing” (A&E; 5-7 p.m. repeats 7-9 p.m. and 9-11 p.m.) Written by distinguished novelist Howard Fast (“Spartacus”) about the night George Washington risked his entire army and the survival of the American revolutionary movement on a surprise nighttime attack across the frozen Delaware River on Christmas Day 1776. Also, “Eleanor Roosevelt” (KCET 9-11:30 p.m.) Documentary in the Emmy Award-winning series “The American Experience” about a woman who survived a painful childhood and a difficult marriage to become one of the most admired women in American history.

* Tuesday--”Jonas Salk: Personally Speaking” (KCET 10:30-11 p.m.) An interview with the late Salk, a pioneer in the fight against polio and leader of a medical research institute in San Diego.

* Wednesday--”Salt Mines” (HIST 7-8 p.m.) Documentary about a chemical element on which much of human life has depended--whether as an element in our blood and even our tears, a medium of trade (it’s still used as money in developing countries and was used to pay Roman soldiers, thus the word “salary”) or to preserve and flavor food. Also, “Road Trip With Huell Howser” (KCET 7:30-9 p.m.) First episode of a six-part series on travel routes in California. On Route 66, Howser encounters the Calico Early Man Archeological Site, where evidence showed that humans inhabited North America much earlier than believed, and Calico Ghost Town, an abandoned silver-mining community. The next episode, in March, will look at California Route 126 and the town of Fillmore in Ventura County.

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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 www.latimes.com/tvsmarts.