Subscribe To My Podcast

Friday, June 25, 2010

Media Menu, June 26, 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, June 26, 2010,
6-7 p.m. E/P
Science Channel
Science and Geography
Elementary, Middle and High School
"Fearless Planet: Grand Canyon”

This documentary tells the life story of the Grand Canyon, from the moment of its birth, through a painstaking period of growth over several billion years, through to the dramatic events that gouged this massive and breathtaking scar into the earth. TV-G
Log on http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm

Sunday, June 27, 2010,
9-9:30 p.m. E/P
Nickelodeon Channel
Technology
Middle and High School
"Nick News with Linda Ellerbee :Middle School Unplugged”

In this Nickelodeon Channel special reporter Ellerbee challenged three teens to go without technology . The program follows along as the teens go seven days without smartphones, iPods, computers, MP3 players, video games, TV or radio. Nick News asked kids across the country to go online and nominate a tech-obsessed friend or sibling who needed an intervention. Three offenders were chosen and challenged to abstain from using any form of technology for one week. “They are definitely the most connected generation ever, but should we worry about that?” asks Ellerbee. “If you’re becoming a tool of your tools, worry. If you’re confusing technology with (or substituting it for) real life, worry. This was an experiment. Did the experiment change these kids? See what you think.”Michaela, 12, and Maddey, 12, nominated their friend Mary Catherine, 12, from St. Louis, Mo., for a tech intervention because, they say, she pays more attention to her cell phone than to her friends. Mary Catherine says, “I’m most definitely addicted to my phone and my computer and my iPod...in a day, I send over 200 texts.” And when her family goes out to eat? “My mom and dad, they just usually talk to each other, and I’m just in my own little world.” How was her week unplugged? Partly: “I learned I didn’t need technology all the time.” Partly: “They tried to teach me how to fish, but it didn’t work.” Wade, 14, from Half Moon Bay, Calif, agreed to take the week-long challenge when his friend Eric, 14, nominated him. On a typical day, Wade watches at least an hour of online videos; he also video chats, tweets, instant messages, goes on Facebook, plays games on the iPad and reviews tech products for his blog, Teencastic. “I agreed to take this one week without technology,” says Wade, “but I felt like I wanted to call and cancel because I don’t think I’m fully prepared…technology is sort of part of my identity.” Sure enough, without technology, Wade got lost. Literally.Deisha, 13, from Boston, Mass., was nominated by her friend Tara, 13, who feels that Deisha puts her “on hold” in order to text other people while they’re hanging out. Part way through the week, Deisha hit a wall. “I thought I was gonna be able to take it, handle it and I can’t. I might as well just go to bed and be sleeping right now.” But then she began to strum the guitar, to cook, to really be with her friends. And Deisha saw a way to be a different kind of kid. “I haven’t played like this since I was seven!”
Log on http://news.nick.com/06/2010/18/could-you-unplug/

Monday, June 28, 2010,
9-10 p.m. E/P
PBS
U.S. History and Arts
Middle and High School
"HISTORY DETECTIVES”

The stories in this history documentary are: “Iwo Jima Map” Did a Japanese map found during World War II play a role in the Battle of Iwo Jima? “Copperhead Cane”: Tracing the Civil War-era history of a cane topped with a coiled snake. “Theremin”: Is an instrument owned by a New Mexico man one of the few built by Leon Theremin himself? TV- PG
Log on http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives

Tuesday, June 29, 2010,
8-9 p.m. E/P
PBS
U.S. History and Technology
Middle and High School
"NOVA: The Spy Factory”

This documentary takes a look at the National Security Agency. The program argues that the NSA's extreme secrecy may have allowed 9/11 to happen and may still pose its own kind of threat to our national security. Three times the size of the CIA and far more secret, the NSA is comprised of top linguists, mathematicians, and technologists trained to decipher all kinds of communications—epitomizing the hidden world of high-tech, 21st-century surveillance. To show how this eavesdropping operates, the program follows the trail of just one typical e-mail sent from Asia to the U.S. Streaming as pulses of light into a fiber-optic cable, it travels across the Pacific Ocean, coming ashore in California, and finally reaching an AT&T facility in San Francisco, where the cable is split and the data sent to a secret NSA monitoring room on the floor below. This enables the NSA to intercept not only most Asian e-mail messages but also the entire U.S. internal Internet traffic. TV- PG
Log on http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/spyfactory

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
8-9 p.m. ET, 5-6 p.m. PT
CNBC Channel
U.S. History and Technology
Middle and High School
“America's Crude Reality ”

In the aftermath of the disaster in the Gulf, this documentary anchored by CNBC’s Erin Burnett, will explore our American addiction to oil and our search for safe options & new innovations for oil exploration for the future.
Log on http://www.cnbc.com/id/15837856

Thursday July 1, 2010,
10-11 p.m. E/P
National Geographic Channel
Science and Technology
Middle and High School
“Secret World of Fireworks”

This documentary explores the closely held secrets, recipes, and techniques from the world of pyrotechnic showmen. The program takes behind the scenes look into this exclusive world with unique access from Zambelli Internationale of New Castle, Pennsylvania - Americas First Family of Fireworks - along with rocket scientists and chemists from Los Alamos, New Mexico.
HTTP://CHANNEL.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/SERIES/NAKED-SCIENCE/4283/OVERVIEW#IXZZ0RCWIPR9C

Friday, July 2, 2010,
8-9 p.m. E/P
CNBC Channel
Economics
High School
“Wall Street”

Although its characters are fictional, this movie memorably reveals how Wall Street really works – and how the nation got into the financial hole we’re now in. The movie follows the career of one on ambitious stockbroker and his involvement with a ruthless corporate raider, Cast includes Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen, Terence Stamp and Sean Young. Available on DVD
Log on http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094291/

Saturday, July 3, 2010,
7-10 p.m. E/P
National Geographic Channel
Geography and Science
Elementary, Middle High School
“Headwaters to Minneapolis/ Minneapolis to Memphis/, Memphis to the Gulf”

This is a broadcast of all three episodes of a science and geography documentary about the Mississippi River: Adventurers Marcus, Stephen and Bill set out to boat the entire length of the Mississippi River in September. Things take a turn for the worse when the rough river bottom damages the motor, leaving the guys stranded in the middle of nowhere without cell service and with a Minnesota winter storm on the horizon.. In episode two, Marcus, Stephen and Bill have traveled 500 miles on their journey down the Mississippi and rainstorms are pushing the river above flood stage, making the trip even more dangerous. But unpredictable waters aren't their biggest concern; it's the four- to six-foot high waves that the barges create -- if they don't stay on their toes, they could be swallowed by a wave and capsize! In episode three, after a giant log punches a hole in the boat, forcing Marcus, Stephen and Bill out of the water to make crucial boat repairs, their journey seems to go more smoothly. But, as the finish line nears, they are faced with perhaps their biggest challenge yet -- a hurricane is barreling down on the Gulf of Mexico, where the Mississippi ends. After traveling so far, will the team be able to complete the 2, 300 mile journey?
Log on for information on each episode individually: HTTP://CHANNEL.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/EPISODE/HEADWATERS-TO-MINNEAPOLIS-4955/OVERVIEW#IXZZ0RCCRTSPD HTTP://CHANNEL.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/EPISODE/MINNEAPOLIS-TO-MEMPHIS-4956/OVERVIEW#IXZZ0RCBMF3PL HTTP://CHANNEL.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/EPISODE/MEMPHIS-TO-THE-GULF-4957/OVERVIEW#IXZZ0RCD3WSVO




Thursday, June 17, 2010

Media Menu, June 19, 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, June 19, 2010,

5:10 – 6:45 p.m. E/P

IFC Channel

Athletics and Arts

High School

"The Lords Of Dogtown”

This movie, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, is the true story of the kids who created modern skateboard culture. In the early '70s, skateboards were seen as a fad of the 1960s that had all but died out, but in a rough-and-tumble Venice, CA, community known as "Dogtown," that was about to change. Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk), Stacy Peralta (John Robinson), and Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch) were three guys who liked to surf the rugged beaches around Venice and hung out at the Zephyr Surf Shop, a store run by Skip Engblom (Heath Ledger) that stocked gear for adventurous surfers and skateboarders. With the advent of new urethane wheels that connected with concrete in a way old metal and rubber wheels could not, Tony, Stacy, and Jay began exploring ways to translate radical surf style to skateboarding, and the guys invented a new way to skate inside the smooth, round surfaces of empty pools, employing vertical moves and edge flips that added a new and dramatic spin to skating. It didn't take long for word to spread about the wild new style of the Z-Boys, and they quickly became local celebrities, and later nationwide skating stars, though sudden fame took its toll on these young men. Rated TV-MA
Log on http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0355702



Sunday, June 20, 2010,

8-10 p.m. E/P

National Geographic Channel

Science and Geography

High School

" How the Earth Changed History: Water World/Beneath The Crust ”

This is a broadcast of the initial two episodes in a three-night, five-hour high-definition documentary miniseries, Host Professor Iain Stewart shows how the planet has influenced every aspect of human history from the rise of industry to the downfall of civilizations. Filmed on seven continents, across every terrain and even under the depths of the sea, the series tells a 10,000-year story with a focus on a different natural force in each hour. Episode One, “Water World”: Water is the planet’s lifeblood. It’s constantly transforming itself, shifting between guises and from place to place. Of all our planet’s forces, perhaps none has greater power over us. Our struggle to control it has been behind the rise and fall of some of our greatest civilizations. In Africa early communities found water underground in the desert, and how this guided their food supply and economy. Then the program follows Prof. Stewart on a trek to Cherrapunji, India, where average annual rainfall approaches 40 feet, to see how an overabundance of water has created the need for an engineering partnership between man and nature in the form of bridges grown from the roots of trees. These beautiful and ancient constructions take hundreds of years to grow and only get stronger as they grow older. In Iceland, we follow the never-ending cycle of water as it rises from the oceans to clouds from which it rains down and forms rivers, then is bound up as ice or stored below the Earth’s surface, only to return to the oceans and repeat the cycle again. Episode Two, “Beneath The Crust”: Prof. Stewart travels into the Earth’s crust to understand Mother Nature’s forces. We begin almost a thousand feet below the surface in a geological wonder: the Naica crystal cave in Mexico. It’s an environment so hostile that anyone entering the cave would die in less than 30 minutes. Then we jet over to Israel’s Negev Desert, where we’ll uncover man’s earliest source of copper, which changed our relationship with the planet forever. We’ll see firsthand how fault lines rewrote human history, beginning in Jericho, perhaps the oldest city in the world. In Kilauea, Hawaii, we’ll explore how today, the Earth’s plates continue to redraw our planet, spawning earthquakes and volcanoes that both destroy and create. History suggests humans will continue to live along fault lines and plate boundaries for the next 10,000 years. Further episode schedule: The Skies Above Premieres Monday, June 21, at 9 p.m. ET/PT The Gift of Fire Premieres Monday, June 21, at 10 p.m. ET/PT The Human Era Premieres Tuesday, June 22, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Log on http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0355702


Monday, June 21, 2010,

9-10 p.m. E/P

PBS

Science and History

Middle and High School

" HISTORY DETECTIVES: Space Exploration”

This is the new season premiere of PBS’ history newsmagazine. Stories include: “Satelloon”: Could a scrap of Mylar have been a part of an early U.S. satellite? “Space Boot”: Could a jury-rigged ski boot be a prototype for a NASA space boot? “Moon Museum”: Could some of Andy Warhol’s artwork really be on the moon? TV-PG
Log on http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives


Monday, June 21, 2010,

9-11 p.m. E/P

CNBC

Arts and Technology

Middle and High School

"The Pixar Story”

This documentary is a behind the scenes look at the groundbreaking company that pioneered a new generation of animation technology, forever changing the face of filmmaking.
Log on HTTP://WWW.CNBC.COM/ID/37712845


Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 8-10 p.m. E/P

Showtime Channel

World History

Middle and High School

" Valkyrie”

This movie tells the story of a German aristocrat, Claus von Stauffenberg, a formerly loyal German Army officer who begins to question his country's motivations and tactics in World War II then hatches a dangerous plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Tom Cruise, Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Wilkinson, Eddie Izzard and Terence Stamp costar in this fact-based drama. PG-13
Log on for movie information http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0985699 And for further historical information http://www.stauffenbergthemovie.com/history_july20.html


Thursday, June 24, 2010 ,

10-11 p.m. E/P

TCM-Turner Classic Movies

U.S. and World History

Middle and High School

" This is Korea”

Airing on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War, this classic U.S. Government film, made in the early months of that war, documents the North Korean aggression that started the Korean War. Directed by John Ford. TV-PG
HTTP://WWW.TCM.COM/THISMONTH/ARTICLE/?CID=309494 and http://www.korean-war.com/TimeLine/1950/06-25to08-03-50.html


Thursday, June 24, 2010,

10-11 p.m. E/P

PBS

U.S. and World History

Middle and High School

" Unforgettable: The Korean War”

Also airing on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War, this documentary presents veterans recounting their memories of the conflict that killed tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers and affected many more lives at home. The words etched on the Korean War Memorial commemorate the service, commitment and sacrifice of the U.S. armed forces members who fought a war against communism half a world away. However, for 60 years the Korean War was referred to as a "police action," "the Korean conflict" and "the Forgotten War." Yet, in all senses of the word, it was war. While millions died and many more suffered from the hostilities, the nation collectively "forgot" about or ignored the war and its veterans. The program uses historical movies and personal photos combined with emotional remembrances to reveal the individual stories, the pride, the patriotism, the gallantry, the sacrifice and heartache behind "the forgotten war." TV-PG
Log on http://www.pbs.org/unforgettable


Friday, June 25, 2010,

9:30-10:30 p.m.

PBS

U.S. and World History

Middle and High School

" FACES OF AMERICA: Our American Stories”

This is a repeat broadcast of the initial episode of a documentary series which explores the dynamic and shifting relationship America had with her new immigrants in the 20th century. World war tore apart families and sundered the fabric of many lives, but America beckoned and millions came. Yet, America was an ambivalent host. At its best, a place of refuge and salvation, as for film director Mike Nichols – shown in this episode - whose entire family escaped Nazi Germany. At its worst, a country that would imprison two generations of Japanese Americans, like the ancestors of Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi. Along the way, viewers will discover the buoyant American optimism that shaped chance – as in a single encounter that changed cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s life forever – to pave the road to success. TV-PG
Log on http://www.pbs.org/wnet/facesofamerica


Saturday, June 26, 2010,

6-7 p.m. E/P

Science Channel

Science and Geography

Elementary, Middle and High School

" Fearless Planet: Grand Canyon”

This documentary tells the life story of the Grand Canyon, from the moment of its birth, through a painstaking period of growth over several billion years, through to the dramatic events that gouged this massive and breathtaking scar into the earth. TV-G
Log on http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm

Friday, June 11, 2010

Media Menu, June 12, 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,
June 12, 2010,

8 a.m. – 4 p.m. E/P
History Channel U.S. History and Geography Middle and High School
"
The States”
This
is a marathon telecast, recommended for recording and later use, of
eight documentaries about the 50 States of the USA. States are groups
together in the hour – for example – as in Episode One
- California, North Carolina, Kansas, New Hampshire, West Virginia.
Each program is a history lesson filled with surprising facts, figures
and stories from five American states. Episode One - In California,
see how the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, in 1848 started the
largest migration in US history, and then learn how scientists are currently
trying to predict the next big earthquake. Next it's off to North Carolina's
tobacco fields and the mystery of Roanoke--the lost colony. Wichita,
Kansas is the "Aviation Capital of America" and Wyatt Earp
put Dodge City on the map. New Hampshire is the state where the first
act of open rebellion in America's Revolutionary War took place and
the first presidential primary each election season is held. Finally,
learn about The Battle of Blair Mountain, West Virginia, where in 1921,
over 10,000 unionizing coal miners faced off with state and federal
troops in what was one of the largest armed uprisings in America since
the Civil War. TV-PG
Log
on http://www.history.com/topics/states


Sunday ,
June 13, 2010,

7-8 p.m. E/P
CBS Science and Technology Middle and High School
"60
Minutes”

The
first report in this newsmagazine raises the question, “Could foreign
hackers get into the computer systems that run crucial elements of the
world’s infrastructure, such as the power grids, water works or even
a nation’s military arsenal, to create havoc? They already have. Steve
Kroft reports. Ite second report is about explorer Robert Ballard who
discovered the sunken wrecks of the Titanic, the Bismarck and the PT
109 , and now 60 MINUTES cameras are there for his latest discovery,
1,500 feet down in the Aegean Sea off Turkey. Lara Logan reports.

Series
information at http://animal.discovery.com/tv/stranger-among-bears


Monday, June
14, 2010,

9-10 p.m. E/P
Planet Green Channel Science and Technology Middle and High School
"30
Days: Off the Grid ”

Two
30-year-old professionals who are friends and typical Americans - who
consume large amounts of fossil fuels - spend 30 days living off the
grid at an eco-village in Missouri. TV-14



Tuesday,
June 15, 2010,

9-10 p.m. E/P
PBS U.S. History and Government Middle and High School
"
FRONTLINE “Obama’s Deal”

This
documentary goes behind closed doors at the White House, in Congress
and the boardrooms of the giant healthcare lobby to examine the political
battles and costly compromises that defined the Obama administration’s
efforts toward healthcare reform.

Info
at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/obamasdeal/etc/synopsis.html


Tuesday,
June 15, 2010,

10-11 p.m. E/P
National Geographic Channel Science and Technology High School
"
Electronic Armageddon”

Not
If, but When... Picture an instantaneous deathblow to the vital engines
that power our society -- delivered by a weapon specifically designed
not kill humans, but to kill electronics. Its called a High Altitude
Electromagnetic Pulse or HEMP. This is a documentary about what
could happen when an electromagnetic pulse surges to earth and cripples
every aspect of infrastructure by destroying our most depended upon,
and therefore vulnerable, aspect of modern society: the electrical grid.
While predicting the odds of a nuclear HEMP attack from terrorist groups
are less certain, most experts agree that another source of an EMP,
the sun, is imminent.

Info
at
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/explorer/4821/Overview#ixzz0qId0JdvE


Wednesday,
June 16, 2010,

7-8 p.m. E/P
MSNBC Channel U.S. History and Government Middle and High School
"Rise
Of The New Right”

In
this news documentary reporter Chris Matthews takes a look at the recent
surge of anger on the political right, particularly the outpouring of
support for the Tea Party, which helped secure Rand Paul’s victory
in Kentucky. The growing fear among citizens of losing their rights
and freedoms has created a political backlash toward the US government
and manifested itself in violent rhetoric and anti-government groups
who want to “take their country back.” Matthews asks the questions:
Who are the people on the New Right? What do they want? And how do they
intend to get it? The documentary features interviews across the spectrum
of the New Right – from Dick Armey, former House Majority Leader and
a powerful figure in the Tea Party Movement to Orly Taitz, unofficial
leader of the Birthers, to influential internet radio host Alex Jones.
The documentary also gained access to the Michigan Militia’s survival
training camp and hit the campaign trail with Rand Paul months before
he showed up on the national radar.

Info
at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/#37455267


Wednesday,
June 16, 2010,

9 p. m. – Midnight E/P
MSNBC Channel U.S. History and Government Elementary, Middle and High
School
"
GREAT PERFORMANCES “La Danse: Le Ballet de l’Opera de Paris”

For
his 38th film, master documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman turns
his unblinking eye on one of the world’s leading ballet companies,
the Paris Opera Ballet. Cinematographer John Davey’s camera roams
the company’s home at the vast Palais Garnier opera house from top
to bottom, gliding down chandelier-laden corridors to the theater’s
labyrinthine underground chambers, pausing to observe from the sidelines
of light-drenched rehearsal studios, then slipping past the plush scarlet
seats of the opulent theater to record a dazzling selection of final
performances. “La Danse” devotes the bulk of its time to watching
rigorously trained young dancers in rehearsals and performances for
seven ballets: Genus by Wayne McGregor, Le Songe de Medée by Angelin
Preljocaj, La Maison de Bernarda by Mats Ek, Paquita by Pierre Lacotte,
Casse Noisette by Rudolph Nureyev, Orphée et Eurdice by Pina Bausch
and Romeo and Juliette by Sasha Waltz. In addition, the film records
the behind-the-scenes activity involved in administering the company,
along with the collaborative work of choreographers, ballet masters,
dancers, musicians and costume, set and lighting designers. For balletomanes
and the curious alike, “La Danse” serves up a sumptuous banquet
of delectable dance. TV-G

Info
at http://www.zipporah.com/films/37


Thursday,
June 17, 2010,

10-11 p.m. E/P
Science Channel Science and Technology Elementary, Middle and High
School
"Build
It Bigger: Gotthard Base Tunnel”

This
documentary shows the spectacular technology involved in digging the
longest underground tunnel in the world. The Swiss government is spending
18 billion dollars to create the Gotthard Base Tunnel – when
finished it will be the longest in the world, getting people and goods
fifty miles through the Alps up to 3 times faster and ultimately changing
European transit forever. TV-G

Log
on http://www.alptransit.ch/en/?no_cache=1


Friday, June
18, 2010,

9-10 p.m. E/P
Discovery Channel Science High School
"Discovery
Saved My Life”

This
one-hour special recounts six incredible stories of individuals who
survived deadly situations thanks in part to life-saving tips seen on
the Discovery Channel. The program features a variety of real-life situations
including a young man escaping the jaws of an 11 foot alligator, a couple
stranded in their car braving freezing conditions for over a week before
finding rescue and a teenager fighting to stay alive after falling through
the ice in a local pond.

http://press.discovery.com/emea/dsc/programs/discovery-saved-my-life



Saturday,
June 19, 2010,

5:10 – 6:45 p.m. E/P
IFC Channel Athletics and Arts High School
"The
Lords Of Dogtown”

This
movie, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, is the true story of the kids
who created modern skateboard culture. In the early '70s, skateboards
were seen as a fad of the 1960s that had all but died out, but in a
rough-and-tumble Venice, CA, community known as "Dogtown,"
that was about to change. Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk), Stacy Peralta (John
Robinson), and Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch) were three guys who liked to
surf the rugged beaches around Venice and hung out at the Zephyr Surf
Shop, a store run by Skip Engblom (Heath Ledger) that stocked gear for
adventurous surfers and skateboarders. With the advent of new urethane
wheels that connected with concrete in a way old metal and rubber wheels
could not, Tony, Stacy, and Jay began exploring ways to translate radical
surf style to skateboarding, and the guys invented a new way to skate
inside the smooth, round surfaces of empty pools, employing vertical
moves and edge flips that added a new and dramatic spin to skating.
It didn't take long for word to spread about the wild new style of the
Z-Boys, and they quickly became local celebrities, and later nationwide
skating stars, though sudden fame took its toll on these young men.
Rated TV-MA

Friday, June 4, 2010

Media Menu June 5, 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, June 5, 2010,

6-7:30 p.m. E/P

Planet Green Channel

Natural Science

Middle and High  School

"Stranger Among Bears”

For some people bears appear in their dreams.  For tv host Charlie Vandergaw they appear in his yard. This is a broadcast of three episodes of his “Stranger Among Bears” natural science miniseries.  Episode 1, “The Grizzlies Are Coming” - Several weeks into bear season,  Vandergaw still hasn't seen any grizzly bears around Bear Haven. Their eventual arrival changes the atmosphere, increasing the danger as the bears stake their claim to the territory surrounding Charlie's cabin. Episode 2,  “Feeding Controversy “ -
A recent change in the law has made feeding bears a serious offense, and if Charlie continues to defy the authorities he could end up in jail. A loophole may allow him to avoid prosecution, but it also raises the ire of those who seek to shut him down. Episode 3 , “Man vs Bear “ - Living side by side with black and grizzly bears is becoming more and more difficult for 70 year-old  Vandergaw. As the bears start tearing apart his cabin, Charlie faces the unthinkable - is he getting too old for life among the bears?  TV-PG



Series information at  http://animal.discovery.com/tv/stranger-among-bears



Sunday, June 6, 2010,

7-9:30 p.m. E/P

Ovation Channel

Arts And English

Middle and High  School

"Cats”

Based on T.S.  Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book Of Practical Cats’’, this is a 1998 film version of a musical, “Cats” composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Cast of this London production includes Elaine Paige and John Mills.  When it ran 18-years in New York, “Cats” became one of Broadway's all-time greats. What was it that made it production so spectacular? The intricate costumes and makeup? The memorable music and dancing? The truth is, there is no one factor that made the show so special.



Log on  http://www.reallyuseful.com/shows/cats/about-cats-1



Sunday, June 6, 2010,

9-10 p.m. E/P

National Geographic Channel

Science

Middle and High  School

“Expedition Great White: Feeding Frenzy”

In this documentary series science and sport fishing join forces 160 miles off Baja California for a never-before attempted research effort to study massive great white sharks in the wild.  It chronicles the savvy, salt and sweat-covered crew as they lift SUV-sized sharks out of the water with a specially-modified hydraulic cradle, then descend on it like a NASCAR pit crew to mount a long-lasting tracking tag, take measurements and DNA samples while pumping water into the shark’s mouth to keep it alive, and release it unharmed…in less than 20 minutes.  In this premiere episode it looks like it’s going to be a tough day on the Ocean when the Mexican authorities arrive. But the team’s paperwork is in order so they return to big fishing. They\ load the hook for a big one but a smaller male steals the bait and is hooked. Its Skid - hes a fighter and comes in bumpy.  TV- PG



Log on  http://www.natgeotv.com/greatwhite



Monday, June 7, 2010,

10-11 p.m. E/P

Animal Planet Channel

Economics and Geography

Middle and High  School

" Last American Cowboy: New Beginnings”  ”
Set against the majestic backdrop of Montana, this is an episode from a documentary series which follows three family ownedand operated ranches through a season of calving, weaning, cattle drives and auction.  Shown are a traditional rancher who does everything by hand and on horseback , and a  modern rancher who uses high-tech equipment, all-terrain vehicles and even a helicopter. Facing unpredictable weather, disease and injuries, thousands of new births and hungry predators waiting for an easy meal, these families have extraordinary and compelling stories of grit and determination as they struggle against Mother Nature topreserve their way of life for future generations. This premiere episode of the series covers the start of Montana’s calving season, three families brace for the hard work, stress and pressure of their eight-month-long struggle to raise herds of new-born cattle. Each ranch fights to shepherd new calves into the world and keep them alive as the long, brutal winter seeks to bring the season to an end before it can begin. Life, death, tradition and legacy all come into play as the cowboys are driven to exhaustion.  TV-PG


Series information at http://animal.discovery.com/tv/last-american-cowboy/



Tuesday June 8, 2010,

9-10 p.m. E/P

Planet Green Channel

Technology and Economics

Middle and High  School

" American Chopper: Siemens Electric Bike  ”

This is an episode from a documentary series about Paul Teutul and his son Paul Jr. of Orange County Choppers, the shop known for turning out some of the world's most original custom motorcycles. The series follows the Teutuls and their colleagues as they struggle to keep seemingly impossible deadlines from compromising the creativity of their design and fabrication work.  At the time of this episode the Teutul dynasty is crumbling and the guys are struggling in the face of an uncertain future. OCC takes on a one of a kind electric chopper build for Siemens Corporation. Meanwhile, Junior continues to work on building his new company.  TV-PG



Series information at http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/american-chopper/episode/episode.html



Wednesday, June 9, 2010,

9-10 p.m. E/P

Ovation Channel

Arts

Middle and High  School

" Broadway Babies  ”

In this documentary young musical hopefuls compete for the once in a lifetime chance to win a professional recording contract. They'll perform classic songs from Broadway's greatest musicals and be judged by legends of the stage.

Log on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aISD_sv47A8


Thursday, June 10, 2010,

9-10 p.m. E/P

History Channel

U.S. and World History

Middle and High  School

" Modern Marvels: The Real National Treasure ”

Where in Washington D.C. is the nation's most incredible treasure chest? It's a library unlike any other in the world--the U.S. Library of Congress. Explode the myth that this 200-year-old institution is simply "where members of Congress borrow books."  This documentary takes viewers  beyond the magnificent Jefferson Building Great Hall into the secret vaults where more than 600 miles of shelves hold 130 million items, many of them priceless treasures--from George Washington's hand-written diaries to Galileo's first images of the moon to the original camera film of the movie Frankenstein. See how a staff of 4,000 catalogues protects and preserves these treasures and distributes them globally via a new World Digital Library.  TV-PG

Log on   HTTP://WWW.WDL.ORG/EN/ and http://www.history.com/topics/library-of-congress-treasures



Friday, June 11, 2010,

10-11 p.m. E/P

National Geographic Channel

Science

Middle and High  School

" Anaconda: Queen of the Serpents ”

The anaconda is known as terrifying killer snake. Now, imagine trying to capture one using our bare feet to wade through a murky marsh in search of the predator. This documentary follows a husband-and-wife research team, Dr. Jesus Rivas and Dr. Sarah Corey, on an expedition deep into the Venezuelan wetlands to study this misunderstood predator. With the species threatened, the duo hopes to collect data and DNA samples that will provide significant insight into their behavior and long-term viability. To get the samples they must first catch some snakes, and we'll join them using a “touch and feel” technique to track their research subjects.

Log on http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/nature-untamed/4318/Overview


Saturday, June 11, 2010,

8 a.m. – 4 p.m. E/P

History Channel

U.S. History and Geography

Middle and High  School

" The States”

This is a marathon telecast, recommended for recording and later use, of eight documentaries about the 50 States of the USA. States are groups together in the hour – for example – as in Episode One - California, North Carolina, Kansas, New Hampshire, West Virginia. Each program is a history lesson filled with surprising facts, figures and stories from five American states. Episode One -  In California, see how the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, in 1848 started the largest migration in US history, and then learn how scientists are currently trying to predict the next big earthquake. Next it's off to North Carolina's tobacco fields and the mystery of Roanoke--the lost colony. Wichita, Kansas is the "Aviation Capital of America" and Wyatt Earp put Dodge City on the map. New Hampshire is the state where the first act of open rebellion in America's Revolutionary War took place and the first presidential primary each election season is held. Finally, learn about The Battle of Blair Mountain, West Virginia, where in 1921, over 10,000 unionizing coal miners faced off with state and federal troops in what was one of the largest armed uprisings in America since the Civil War.  TV-PG

Log on http://www.history.com/topics/states