Media Menu, December 18, 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, December 18, 2010,
8-9 p.m. E/P
History Channel
U.S. History and Government
Middle and High School

“The Naturalized“

Weaving together the lives of different people from different countries who all share a quest for citizenship by choice, not birthright, this documentary travels from a citizenship class in San Jose to a naturalization ceremony in Iraq. Along the way, there's unprecedented access to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, revealing the complex process up-close, including a marriage interview and the one-on-one Citizenship Exam. How many amendments are in the Constitution? To become an American, not knowing is not an option. Contemporary stories of struggle and success are combined with insightful interviews from notable naturalized citizens like Fareed Zakaria, Alan Cumming, David Rakoff and Isabel Allende. “Of the greatest values that America has,” says Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation, “the concept citizenship is the most important.”A deported Nigerian leaves behind his family in Minnesota while a Moroccan cook wins the green card lottery. An Uzbeki concert pianist settles in Kansas, as a Nicaraguan refugee votes for the first time. From the gritty streets of Queens to the lakes of Minnesota to the suburban sprawl of California, every year nearly one million immigrants choose to become American in hopes of realizing the American dream.TV-PG
Log on http://www.history.com/shows/classroom/interactives/citizenship-quiz

Sunday, December 19, 2010,
8-9 p.m. E/P
PBS
Science and Geography
Elementary, Middle and High School

“NATURE: Christmas in Yellowstone”

As snow falls and Christmas lights glow in Jackson Hole, a holiday season of a different sort settles in just beyond the town, in the great winter world of Yellowstone. Breathtaking landscapes frame intimate scenes of wolves and coyotes, elk and bison, bears and otters as they make their way through their most challenging season of the year. This documentary journeys in the footsteps of the men who first explored the park, and travels with their modern-day counterpart on his own journey of discovery. From the unique crystals of individual snowflakes to the grand sweep of Yellowstone's Hayden Valley, this is a Christmas like no other. TV-G
Log on http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/christmas-in-yellowstone/introduction/4292/

Monday, December 20, 2010,
9-11 p.m. E/P.
PBS
U.S. History
Elementary, Middle and High School

“The Calling”

This is the initial two-hour episode of a four-hour documentary miniseries which provides a behind-the-scenes look at young Americans — Christian, Jewish, Catholic, and Muslim — preparing to become the nation’s next generation of religious leaders. It follows their transformation from idealistic students into ordained religious professionals. The program explores the forces that are drawing a new generation of young people to serve their communities and their faith. TV-PG ( The concluding two hours of the miniseries air in this time-slot Tuesday December 21.)
Log on http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/calling

Tuesday, December 21, 2010,
8-10 p.m. E/P
National Geographic Channel
World History
Elementary, Middle and High School

“Living in the Time of Jesus: Making a Living / Living in the Time of Jesus: Making a Living “

Here are two documentaries about everyday life 2,000 years ago. Program One -Jesus is said to have overturned the tables of moneychangers in the Temple. But who were these people, and whose money were they changing? Using famous biblical stories as our guidebook, this documentary opens a window into how people made ends meet 2,000 years ago. With the help of archaeologists, biblical experts and mules, we'll get our hands dirty doing the jobs of ancient carpenters, shepherds and camel-riding merchants. See how the land was tilled, the taxes were collected and the Holy Temple was operated. Program Two - When you got sick in the first century, what did you do about it? It was the time of Jesus and his promise of healing miracles, but what did brain surgery look like? And, were there really any medical benefits to floating in the Dead Sea? NGC experts investigate the many sides of ancient health care to discover what people in Jesus’ time knew - and didn’t know - about medicine. Later, we’ll try it for ourselves - watch as our team has their "bad blood" extracted by sucking leaches and gets covered in mud to treat a muscular condition.
Log on http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/mysteries-of-the-bible/4228/Overview and http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/mysteries-of-the-bible/4229/Overview

Tuesday, December 21, 2010,
9-10 p.m. ET, 6-7 p.m. PT
CNBC Channel
U.S. History and Economics
Elementary, Middle and High School

“Price of Admission: America's College Debt Crisis “

As millions of American families struggle to cope with college costs that are rising at twice the rate of inflation, this documentary investigates a system that encourages widespread borrowing—often with little regard to a student's ability to pay—leaving the average college graduate with tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt. Unlike most forms of borrowing, student loans carry almost no consumer protections. The debt cannot be refinanced, nor can it be wiped out in bankruptcy. It can even outlive the student, leaving parents and surviving family members on the hook. With rising student loan debt comes rising defaults, but critics say colleges and universities—both non-profit and for-profit—as well as student loan companies are hiding the true default rates in order to keep the flow of government loan money going. How long can the system be sustained? Are student loans the next subprime mortgages? And if the bubble bursts, who will pay the price? The documentary includes interviews with borrowers, lenders, and school administrators to measure the real price of admission to the nation's higher education system.
Log on http://ori.cnbc.com/id/39911910

Wednesday, December 22, 2010,
9-11 p.m. E/P
PBS
World History
Elementary, Middle and High School

“The Buddha “

Two and a half millennia ago, a new religion was born in northern India, generated from the ideas of a single man, the Buddha, a mysterious Indian sage who famously gained enlightenment while he sat under a large, shapely fig tree. The Buddha never claimed to be God or his emissary on earth. He said only that he was a human being who, in a world of unavoidable pain and suffering, had found a kind of serenity that others could find, too. This documentary by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin tells the story of his life, a journey especially relevant in our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. The program features the work of some of the world’s greatest artists and sculptors, who across two millennia, have depicted the Buddha’s life in art rich in beauty and complexity. Hear insights into the ancient narrative by contemporary Buddhists, including Pulitzer Prize winning poet W.S. Merwin and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Richard Gere narrates.
Log on http://www.pbs.org/thebuddha

Thursday, December 23, 2010,
10-11 p.m. E/P
National Geographic Channel
Science
Elementary, Middle and High School

“Naked Science: Lightning Chasers"

Have you ever seen lightning strike from the ground to the sky or float in midair? Spectacular and exotic forms of this natural phenomenon are slowed down on film to reveal minute detail. Luminous spheres that linger in airplanes are recreated. We will show you how rockets launched into storm clouds coax lightning down to earth. This documentary illuminates secrets of nature's most striking power.
Log on http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/naked-science/3625/Overview

Friday, December 24, 2010,
8-9 p.m. E/P
National Geographic Channel
World History and Economics
Middle and High School

“Explorer: Secret History of Gold“

Gold's appeal and value span time and cultures, but there is a little-known secret to the story of gold. Most of the gold mined throughout history remains in circulation today -- even the gold closest to your heart may have dark origins. From the Amazon jungle to the markets of Dubai, This documentary examines the underbelly of the modern gold trade with a treasure hunter and an illegal miner to expose its volatile history.
Log on http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/explorer/3822/Overview

Saturday, December 25, 2010,
5-8 p.m. ET, 3-5 p.m. PT
TCM- Turner Classic Movie Channel
World History
Middle and High School

“The King Of Kings“

This movie is a retelling of Christ's life and the effects of his teachings on those around him. Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McKenna, Robert Ryan. Dir: Nicholas Ray TV-PG
Log on http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=253

Saturday, December 25, 2010,
4-9 p.m. E/P
Animal Planet Channel
Science
Middle and High School

“DOGS 101: SEASON 3 Marathon“

What would the holidays be like if we couldn’t share it with man’s best friend?! The most comprehensive and most endearing dog encyclopedia on television is back for a marathon stack this Christmas day. With more than 150 dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club, these programs spotlight the adorable, the feisty and the unexpected. A wide-ranging rundown of everyone's favorite dog breeds-from the Dalmatian to Xoloitzcuintli. This is holiday fun for everyone as select episodes survey a variety of breeds for their behavioral quirks, genetic history, most famous examples and wildest trivia. Learn which dogs are best for urban living and which ones are the most family friendly. Using a mix of animal experts, pop-culture footage and stylized dog photography, DOGS 101 is an unprecedented look at man's best friend and a gives us many reasons to be merry! TV-PG
Log on http://animal.discovery.com/videos/dogs-101-season-3