C4 Tuesdays, from November 12, 10.30-10.50am, repeated Wednesdays 5.40-6pm Three case studies for 11 to 14-year-olds, looking at morphological processes and the relation of landscapes to populations in Scotland, Snowdonia and Yorkshire. The first part is an investigation into natural resources and sustainable energy in Scotland; followed by a film about the future of Welsh upland farmers and their communities, and part three shows how the presence of limestone explains the landscape features and human geography of the Yorkshire Dales. The textbook Place and People by David Waugh covers this and other programmes from Geographical Eye, and additional activities are available (see page 37).

IsabelClementine

BBC2 Tuesday, November 12, 2-4am

This week’s overnight transmissions on BBC2 are devoted to soapy dramas for modern languages designed for 14 to 16-year-olds. On Tuesday, November 12, there is the Spanish series Isabel - an everyday story of Spanish teenagers - plus an episode from the French series Clementine, about a young girl and her family. There is more from Clementine the following night, together with the five episodes of Susanne, who could well be Isabel’s German cousin. Finally, Thursday, November 14, is French night, with a five-part serial set in the eponymous “Cafe des Rives” and a documentary about modern Paris. Most programmes have teachers’ notes and are available on video.

Middle English: The Write Stuff

C4 Wednesdays, November 13-27, 10.30-10.50am

The nitty-gritty side of English: handwriting, spelling and punctuation. The programme uses a magazine format, with Sean Hughes as presenter, to look into such topics as the history of handwriting, graphology (what does Tony Blair’s writing tell us about his personality?) and the importance of legibility. Later programmes tackle the comma and the apostrophe. Programme notes are available and the whole 60-minute series should be very useful to its 11 to 14-year-old audience.

Time Team

C4 Fridays, 8-9pm

Tony Robinson and the team go back to some of their many past excavations and assess what they have learned from them. Over the years, Time Team has done a great deal to enhance awareness of archaeology and, unlike Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, given a fairly accurate idea of what archaeologists do. This series brings together the results of the Time Team’s three-day digs.

Geography Shorts: France

BBC2 Fridays, November 8-December 6, 12.20-12.30pm

Josette Aikman presents a brief tour through the different regions of France, for seven-to-nine-year-olds, showing how the French live and work. We start in the capital, Paris, before going west to the rugged Atlantic coasts of Brittany, then south to the Camargue, with its contrasting Mediterranean shore. Finally, there are two programmes on the French Alps, concentrating on dairy farming and tourism. The five, 10-minute films are designed to teach about reading maps as well as introducing pupils to the lifestyle of our nearest European neighbour. There are teachers’ notes for the series and all five programmes are available on video (pound;19.99). Programme one will be repeated on December 13 and January 23.

For full schedules: www.channel4.co.uklearningmainprogrammesautumn2002.cfm

www.bbc.co.ukschoolswhatsontvindex.shtml