Media Menu for March 26 , 2011

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, March 26, 2011,
8-9p.m. E/P
National Geographic Channel
U.S History and Science
Middle and High School

“Moonshine ” (the science and history of illegal whiskey)

This documentary covers the history of the illegal liquor that sparked a war between bootleggers and the law during the era of U.S. Prohibition and launched NASCAR as a nationwide sensation. Reporters travel to Appalachia to uncover the secrets of this unlawful substance.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/moonshine-2912/Overview

Sunday, March 27, 2011,
6-7 p.m. E/P
Science Channel
Science
Elementary, Middle and High School

“The Planets: Terra Firma " (earth science)

Earth is a geologically active planet. The crust moves, mountains shoot into the air, the continents quake, and new land forms continuously. Scientists discover if there anything like this geological life elsewhere in the solar system. TV-G

Sunday, March 27, 2011,
8-9 p.m. E/P
CNN
U.S History and Geography
Middle and High School

“Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door" (tolerance and intolerance)

Does freedom of religion mean freedom from suspicion? CNN reporter Soledad O'Brien chronicles the fight over a mosque's construction in the heart of the Bible Belt.
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/03/09/unwelcome.the.muslims.next.door.cnn

Monday, March 28, 2011,
8-9 p.m. E/P
NBC
U.S History
Middle and High School

“All Together Now - A Celebration of Service” (volunteerism examples)

This television special is hosted by The Points of Light Institute at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., to honor President George H. W. Bush for his visionary leadership in the American service movement. The event will bring together all four former presidents for the first time since the inauguration of President Obama. President William J. Clinton will serve as the event’s honorary co-chair. He will be joined by President and Mrs. George W. Bush and President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter. The star-studded lineup will also bring together some of the biggest acts in country music, soul and rock in a unique program celebrating the powerful role voluntary service can play in overcoming the challenges our communities face in the 21st century. Feature performers include Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Cee Lo Green, Reba McEntire, Sam Moore, Brad Paisley, Kid Rock, Darius Rucker and Carrie Underwood. Points of Light Institute inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world - 25 million more Americans are volunteering today as volunteered in 1989.Log on http://www.pointsoflight.org/

Tuesday, March 29, 2011,
9-10p.m. E/P
PBS
U.S History and Economics
Middle and High School

“FRONTLINE: Money and March Madness” (school sports and money)

FRONTLINE continues its new monthly magazine program with the lead story "Money and March Madness," an inside look at the multi-billion dollar business of the NCAA and its brand of amateur college sports. In this investigation, correspondent Lowell Bergman gains access to Sonny Vaccaro, a former marketing executive at Nike, Adidas, and Reebok who helped bring about the rapid commercialization of college basketball. Vaccaro's success made coaches, administrators, and companies rich. But the players remain at the mercy of the NCAA, which, despite a new $10.8 billion contract for its basketball tournament, has continued to insist that the athletes don't get paid. Now, Vaccaro has left the business world and he's spearheading a class-action lawsuit that aims to ensure that players get a piece of the action.
Log on http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/

Tuesday, March 29, 2011,
9-10p.m. E/P
Science Channel
Science
Elementary, Middle and High School

“Killer Ants” ( danger on six legs)

This is a documentary about ants. Over 8,000 species of ants cover the planet. Most are harmless, but some have a violent streak. African driver ants have eaten a horse in a day and suffocated a human, and the army ants of South and Central America can wipe out entire ecosystems.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011,
9-10 p.m. E/P
PBS
Science and Economics
Elementary, Middle and High School

“NOVA: Japan’s Killer Quake” (lessons from Japan)

In its worst crisis since World War II, Japan faces disaster on an epic scale: a death toll likely in the tens of thousands, massive destruction of homes and businesses, shortages of water and power, and the specter of nuclear meltdown. With exclusive footage, NOVA captures the unfolding human drama and offers a clear-headed investigation of what triggered the earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent nuclear crisis. Can science and technology ever prevent devastation in the face of overwhelmingly powerful forces of nature. TV-G
Log on http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/japan-killer-quake.html

Wednesday, March 30, 2011,
10-11:30 p.m. E/P
PBS
Science and Economics
Elementary, Middle and High School

“JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH: Plan B - Mobilizing to Save Civilization” (repairing our future)

Hosted by Matt Damon and produced by Emmy-Award winning filmmakers Marilyn and Hal Weiner, Plan B: Mobilizing To Save Civilization is based on the book by environmental visionary Lester Brown. Shot on location around the world, Plan B provides audiences with a glimpse into a new and emerging economy based upon renewable sources as well as realistic strategies to avoid the growing threat of global warming.
Log on http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/

Thursday, March 31, 2011,
8-9 p.m. E/P
National Geographic Channel
Science and Geography
Elementary, Middle and High School

“The Human Family Tree” (where we really come from)

On the most diverse street in the most diverse city in the most diverse country in the world, a team of National Geographic scientists will swab the cheeks of some 200 random New Yorkers. The goal: to retrace our ancestral footprints and prove we are all cousins in the "family of man." Join geneticist Spencer Wells and a team of technicians from National Geographic’s Genographic Project as they trace the human journey through time and space, from our origins in the heart of Africa to the ends of the world. Cutting edge science, coupled with a cast of New Yorkers - each with their own unique genetic history - will help paint a picture of these journeys. Ultimately, The Human Family Tree answers some of humanity’s most burning questions, such as who we are and where we come from, and forces us to change how we think not only about our relationships with our neighbors, but ourselves.
Log on http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/naked-science/5082/Overview

Friday, April 1, 2011,
8-9 p.m. E/P
History Channel
Technology and Economics
Middle and High School

“Modern Marvels: American Trucking ” (understanding what keeps the economy going)

America would come to a standstill without trucks. Trucks transport a staggering 70 percent of all the nation's goods. This documentary explores the diverse world of American trucks and the colorful men and women who drive them. Join country superstar Brad Paisley and his crew of truckers on the road between Little Rock and Tulsa--racing the clock to be on time for Brad's next concert. In Dearborn, Michigan, climb aboard one of the most popular pickups--the Ford F-150--as it tackles a devilish test course. And in Virginia, see how fast the world's most nimble tow truck can extract a car from the tightest parking spot imaginable. Meet a Mack truck fanatic and his cool collection of vintage models, and ride-along with an unsung hero with a truly dirty job--operating a truck designed to empty and clean portable toilets. TV -PG

Saturday, April 2, 2011,
3:30-4:15 p.m. E/P
HBO
U.S. History and Economics
Middle and High School

“Triangle: Remembering the Fire” (events that stimulated labor union organizing)

This documentary tells an historic story that is still relevant today. On March 25, 1911, a catastrophic fire broke out at the Triangle Waist Company in New York City. Trapped inside the upper floors of a ten-story building, 146 workers – mostly young immigrant women and teenage girls – were burned alive or forced to jump to their deaths to escape an inferno that consumed the factory in just 18 minutes. It was the worst disaster at a workplace in New York State until 9/11. The tragedy changed the course of history, paving the way for government to represent working people, not just business, for the first time, and helped an emerging American middle class to live the American Dream.
Log on http://www.hbo.com/#/documentaries/triangle-remembering-the-fire