New (Homeschool-Friendly!) Streaming Picks: November 2026

What new educational shows are streaming this month? Check out this (updated every month) list of ideas worth your time.

There are so many good choices this month that it was hard to narrow it down. My suggestions are longer than usual, and I still cut several good choices!

One title I missed last month was Raising Lady Liberty on PBS. I watched it yesterday & really enjoyed it.

Whether you want to fill up your watchlists or just find a couple of titles to add to November’s plans, keep reading.

What has your homeschool recently watched? LMK in the comments!

RBG

Netflix

Ruth Bader Ginsburg had a pretty remarkable career & life. This 2018 documentary looks at her journey to becoming a Supreme Court Justice.

US government, 20th-century history, women’s history

Saving Tangier Island

PBS

Unless you’re from the area, you’ve probably never heard of Tangier Island, located in the Chesapeake Bay and part of the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail. In the War of 1812, under British control, enslaved people could find freedom in Britain—if they could make it to the island & serve in the military. Today, rising sea levels threaten the island’s future.

American history, US geography, earth/environmental science

Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs (Season 6)

Netflix

Mark Rober, a former NASA engineer, makes science & engineering entertaining in his newest season. This is the type of show that is fun to throw on over lunch, when you need to make a long phone call, or at the end of a long week, a definite ‘edutainment’ show.

ages 9-14, engineering, just for fun

Finding America’s Fallen

PBS (Secrets of the Dead)

Who were the soldiers of the Battle of Camden, a battle that helped turn the tide of the war? Archaeological researchers are working to identify these fallen soldiers from the American Revolution.

archaeology, American Revolution, military

Mosquito Bowl

Netflix

The bombing of Pearl Harbor sent thousands of Americans rushing to enlist at their local drafting office. Mosquito Bowl tells the stories of four football players turned Marines who enlisted after the attack. A sports-loving teen might be drawn in. The soldiers served in the Pacific, which doesn’t come up as often in World War II documentaries.

sports, World War II

HumanLike: The Chimps of Fongoli

PBS (Nature)

Fongoli chimpanzees, in the savanna woodlands of Senegal, used to be pretty unknown to researchers. This documentary takes a look at the last 25 years of research & observation into these highly-adaptive chimps.

Africa, nature

Zoot Suit

Prime Video

It was only last year that I learned what the Zoot Suit Riots were. I knew the term Zoot Suits, but I’m not sure I even knew there were riots. That’s why I’m eager to watch this musical with my teens. Note: This is rated R, so be sure to check it out first if you have concerns.

(If you don’t know either, the Zoot Suit Riots took place in Los Angeles in 1943, targeting young minorities by soldiers, law enforcement & locals. This is a good article. And this is the book I read.)

fiction, World War II, 20th-century US history

The Hunchback, Soul of Paris

Netflix

In this new adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic story, 1830s Paris, racked with a cholera outbreak, is the setting of this love story. A great pairing for a book-vs.-movie unit or a literature-on-film series. If your kiddo is studying European history or geography this year, this could be a good addition.

fiction, France, medicine/outbreaks, 19th-century European history

The Greatest

Prime Video

Muhammad Ali’s story is told in this dramatized series. Most people know him as a boxer & conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, but that’s not his whole story. This is another one that a sports-loving teen might enjoy (and I have one more; keep reading).

sports, Vietnam War, civil rights, 20th-century US history

Madden

Prime Video

Young people know his name thanks to the video game, but might not know about his time as an NFL coach or sports commentator—after all, he retired before most of them were born (2009). This biographical film digs into all of that.

sports, 20th-century pop culture

NOVA: Evolution (5-part series)

PBS

We learn about how humans & animals adapt to their environment and evolve over time…but what does that really mean? How does that play out? This five-part NOVA series explores our brains, how we move, and more. New episodes will premiere in October and November.

Darkest Hour

Prime Video

Winston Churchill is the topic of this biopic, specifically the early days of the war as he & his cabinet debated whether to negotiate with Hitler or fight back. In school, I didn’t learn much about Churchill; this drama offers a (reportedly) decently accurate portrayal of him & those days. It’s an easy watch & could be a good family movie night choice.

fiction, World War II, 20th-century history