Media Menu, May 15, 2010

Here are home viewing suggestions for the week, selected from online advanced TV program listings and aligned with the state and national K-12 academic standards available online. Please consult local listings also, since actual broadcast times may vary. The Websites cited in the “Log on“ box below the tv listing provide further details about the show’s topic and may contain links to video clips from the show or a complete streaming video version of the show.


Saturday, May 15, 2010,

5-7 p.m. E/P

History Channel

U.S. History and Geography

Middle and High School

" How the States Got Their Shapes "

This is repeat broadcast of a documentary which examines how every state is a puzzle piece ultimately revealing the unique geography, political and social history of America. We are so familiar with the map of United States, but do we know why our states look the way they do? Every shape on the map tells a great story about our past. Why is California bent? To cling on to gold. Why does Oklahoma have a panhandle? Because of shifting borders for slavery. Why does Missouri have a boot? Because of a massive earthquake. TV-PG

Interactive info at http://www.history.com/topics/states/interactives/place-the-state-game


Saturday, May 15, 2010,

10 p.m.-midnight E/P

History Channel

World History and Geography

Middle and High School

" The Dark Ages "

This is a documentary about what happened after the fall of the Rome. Its Empire, rotten to the core by the fifth century A.D, lay open to barbarian warriors. Europe was beset by famine, plague, persecutions, and a state of war that was so persistent it was only rarely interrupted by peace. These centuries are remembered today as the Dark Ages. Beneath this cloak of darkness were people like Charlemagne, St. Benedict and the Empress Theodora who helped to bridge the gap of civilization between Rome and the Renaissance. Ultimately, these points of light would illuminate the darkness, and Western Europe would rise from the Dark Ages to a level of cultural and political power unseen for a thousand years. TV-PG



Sunday, May 16, 2010,

7-8 p.m. E/P

CBS

U.S. History and Arts

Middle and High School

" 60 Minutes "

There are two stories in this newsmagazine. The first one is a double-length segment investigating the explosion that killed 11, causing the ongoing oil leak in the waters off of Louisiana, and speaks to one of the oil rig platform crew survivors who was in a position to know what caused the disaster and how it could have been prevented. The report contains never-before-seen footage of the minutes after the explosion and new information about what led up to it. The second segment is about Gustavo Dudamel, the musical director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which he wants to transplant in the U.S. the Venezuelan child orchestra system that changed his life.

Log on http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml?tag=hdr;snav



Sunday, May 16, 2010,

9-11, p.m. E/P

History Channel

U.S. History

Middle and High School

“AMERICA THE STORY OF US: Cities/ Boom

The new documentary series, AMERICA THE STORY OF US, continues its telling of how America was invented, looking at the moments where Americans harnessed technology to advance human progress— from the rigors of linking the continent by transcontinental railroad, the internet of its day, to triumphing over vertical space through construction of steel structured buildings to putting a man on the moon. First in tonight’s dual episode broadcast is “Cities”. Between 1880 and 1930, nearly 24 million new immigrants arrive in America. Many go to work building a new frontier: the modern city, and one of America’s greatest inventions. The high cost of land in cities like New York and Chicago means the only way to build is up. A new kind of building, the skyscraper, is made possible by steel. Produced on a massive scale by Scottish immigrant Andrew Carnegie, steel production underpins the infrastructure of the modern city. This new urban frontier draws rural migrants and newly arrived immigrant workers. For many, the Statue of Liberty is their first sight of the New World and Ellis Island is the gateway to the American Dream. The lawless city offers opportunities for many, astronomical wealth for a few. Police chief Thomas Byrnes uses his violent new innovation, “the third degree,” to keep a lid on crime. The millions flocking to urban areas often experience terrible conditions in disease-ridden tenements. Jacob Riis, photographer and reformer, brings their plight to the world with his groundbreaking photographs in the book “How the Other Half Lives.” Workers in new high rise factories become urban martyrs in New York City’s Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, as the city struggles to make these new buildings safe. Powered by steel and electricity, the city begins to be tamed and defined by mass transportation, stunning skylines, electric light...and the innovative, industrious American spirit. The second episode is “Boom” . In 1910 California, a column of oil nearly 200 feet high explodes out of a derrick and sets off a chain of events that will turn America into a superpower. Oil production doubles overnight and prices plummet from $2 to 3 cents a barrel. Quick to capitalize on this abundant cheap fuel is Henry Ford, a maverick entrepreneur who vows to bring the motor car to the masses. In 1900 there are 8,000 cars in the country. By 1930 there are over 20 million. As the population becomes more mobile, the entire shape of America changes. Cities grow as centers of industry, creating new opportunities, and new challenges. In one of the greatest engineering projects of the century, thousands of workers divert enough water hundreds of miles across a desert to quench sprawling Los Angeles’ thirst. Mass production and job opportunities prompted by the First World War draw African Americans to northern cities like Chicago, but racial conflict follows. Many Americans see the burgeoning cities as havens of vice, and chief among them is drink. A popular campaign to ban alcohol succeeds, yet when it comes, Prohibition triggers a wave of organized crime. One man set to benefit is Al Capone. He makes the equivalent of $1,500 a minute from bootleg alcohol. For a time he seems untouchable. But even he is not above the law.
Details at http://www.history.com/classroom


Sunday, May 16, 2010,

9-9:30 p.m. E/P

Nickelodeon Channel

Health and Science

Middle and High School

" Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: So NOT Cool: The Most Annoying Stuff Parents Say and Do "

Parents know what kids do that annoys them, and they are quick to say so. But do parents know what things they say and do that annoy or embarrass their kids? The truth is revealed in this interview special. It features a countdown of kids’ top 10 gripes about their parents and commentary from some famous former kids, including: Tina Fey (30 Rock), Marlon Wayans (actor/comedian), Wendy Williams (The Wendy Williams Show), Brad Garrett (actor/comedian), Howie Mandel (Deal or No Deal), Jenna Elfman (Accidentally on Purpose), Aisha Tyler (Bedtime Stories), Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live), Fran Drescher (The Nanny) and Tracey Ullman (Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union).

Log on http://news.nick.com/05/2010/07/the-most-annoying-stuff-parents-say-and-do/



Monday, May 17, 2010,

8-9 p.m. E/P

National Geographic Channel

Science and Geography

Middle and High School

" 10 Things You Didn't Know About Earthquakes "

In this documentary geologist Dr. Iain Stewart walks viewers through 10 of the most remarkable earthquake stories from around the world as he follows earthquake fault lines in Greece. Find out where earthquakes last 60 times longer than anywhere else on the planet, how the Cold War gave scientists a crucial clue to understanding earthquake theory and which earthquake fault line even causes hallucinations.

Log on http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/earthquakes-4536/Overview



Monday, May 17, 2010,

9-10 p.m. E/P

Science Channel

Science and Technology

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Sci Trek: What Animals Build”

In this documentary viewers will find out how animals construct amazing engineering marvels that rival, and in some cases surpass, our own. These incredible structures, like spider webs, bee honeycombs, and beaver dams, can even teach us how to build more efficiently in the future.



Tuesday, May 18, 2010,

10:30-11:30 p.m. E/P

PBS

World History and Geography

Middle and High School

" INDEPENDENT LENS “Project Kashmir” "

This is a documentary journey to one of the most beautiful, yet dangerous places on Earth. Two American women, one Muslim and the other Hindu, sneak cameras into Kashmir—a place where different faiths there are the cause of ongoing war between India and Pakistan. Their mission: find out what makes their peers choose homeland over preserving their own lives. As pressures rise, emotions run high and their friendship is tested. TV-PG

Log on www.pbs.org/independentlens/project-kashmir



Wednesday, May 19, 2010,

9-10 p.m. E/P

National Geographic Channel

Science and Technology

Middle and High School

" Delta Divers: Racing the Storm"

This timely documentary takes viewers to the Gulf of Mexico, home to thousands of gas and oil platforms, in addition to some of the planet's most severe storms. So who do you call when a well or platform stops producing, or is toppled by a massive storm? Meet the Delta Divers, a team of highly skilled underwater adventurers who descend where few dare to go to - 300 feet below the water's surface. Join them on the dive barge "Southern Hercules" as they head out to repair an aging subsea oil well. Hazards increase exponentially with the depth. After detonating an explosive charge to cut the well pipes below the seafloor, they find that mysterious and potentially dangerous bubbles are flowing from the well. Aboard the “Arapaho” heavy lift barge, the dive team faces a tight schedule and the constant threat of heavy weather as they take apart a massive platform by burning through steel underwater. Supervisor Scott Noakes gives his lead tender, an apprentice diver, a chance to get her feet wet.

Log on http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/inside/4907/Overview#ixzz0nmVV8KXb



Thursday, May 20, 2010,

10-11 p.m. E/P

CNBC

Science and Technology

Middle and High School

" Carbon Hunters"

As corporations, governments and consumers hunt for ways to reduce and offset their greenhouse gas emissions, a whole new breed of businessman has been born. Welcome to the world of the Carbon Hunters. They are scouring the planet in search of new ways to capture carbon; lassoing every dime they can, often with shams and scams that make our heads spin. They then are trading the resulting – and often lucrative – credits. Many believe carbon trading is a process vital to stopping climate change. And just as many are skeptical. What’s not debatable is that carbon offset trading is emerging as one of the century’s biggest business, political and environmental stories. But behind the carbon credits on an airline ticket, shares in a tree-planting scheme or a project that will supposedly suck carbon out of the air, lies a tale of dubious truth which can bring disaster to both the poor and the investors and people in the developing world. This documentary follows Vancouver-based businessman Shawn Burns and other hunters around the world, as they seek out new and interesting opportunities such as methane capture projects in the Philippines, carbon exchange houses in Mumbai and Chicago and the golden wheat fields of Alberta, in the world’s first regulated carbon market. It’s a strange, growing industry that is changing the nature of business – and one that, depending on who you believe, just may help save the planet.

Log on http://www.cnbc.com/id/35872593



Friday, May 21, 2010,

10-11 p.m. E/P

CNBC Channel

Science and Economics

Middle and High School

" One Nation, Overweight,”

The obesity epidemic is acutely felt among the nation’s youth, with nearly a third of American children either overweight or obese. Many are threatened with the onset of diabetes, and some medical experts warn that for the first time in the history of our nation, this younger generation may be on track to have a shorter life span than their parents. This CNBC documentary goes back to school to examine the role the lunchroom plays in this national fight. Reporter Scott Wapner tours a Virginia high school where students regularly flock to a school-sanctioned snack stand that sells a variety of candy and other junk food as early as 9:30 a.m. He also visits a California school struggling to offer healthier meals to a population raised in a culture of junk food and junk food marketing. CNBC takes cameras inside the laboratories of Vivus, Inc., a pharmaceutical company working to develop an anti-obesity drug that could, if approved, be a financial blockbuster. CNBC also looks at the troubled history of previous popular diet drugs. Employers have a big stake in getting their workforce to lose weight and reduce the enormous costs in medical claims and lost productivity linked to obesity. CNBC cameras go inside Johnson & Johnson, and other companies big and small, that are investing in their employees’ weight loss and seeing big returns. This documentary begins inside one of the nation’s preeminent hospitals—the Cleveland Clinic—with the story of Henry Butler, an obese patient lying on the operating table undergoing bariatric surgery. Butler is one of 12 million Americans considered severely obese, defined as more than 100 pounds overweight. Wapner speaks with Dr. Philip Schauer, the Director of the Clinic's Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, a specialized unit that performs the surgery of last resort on more than 500 patients each year. Wapner also interviews Dr. Toby Cosgrove, the CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, about his controversial statement that if he had his choice, he would not hire obese people

Log on http://www.cnbc.com/id/36073283



Saturday, May 22, 2010,

4-5 p.m. E/P

Planet Green Channel

U.S. History and Geography

Middle and High School

"30 Days: Muslims And America "

This is a repeat of a still-timely documentary aired last week. Viewers follow David Stacy, a 33-year-old Christian man from West Virginia, who agrees to make a drastic life change for 30 days when he moves to the largely Muslim community of Dearborn, Michigan. David struggles with his feelings and previous prejudices against a religion that does not believe in Christ and in the minds of many Americans is associated with the September 11 terror attacks, as he befriends his new host family and adopts their customs. What is it like to be a Muslim in America today? Will David’s experience break all his prejudices or just break him? Documentarian Morgan Spurlock (“Supersize Me”) directs. TV-14

Series info at http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/30-days/american-muslims.html