Sunday, July 9
8-10 p.m. E/P

History Channel

Subjects: World History

Middle and High School

"True Caribbean Pirates"

Blackbeard, Ann Bonny, Henry Jennings, Calico Jack, Henry Morgan, Black Bart Roberts . . . During the mid to late 17th and early 18th centuries, they were feared criminals. The Caribbean was their domain, the fleets carrying treasure and cargo to Europe their target. The origins of Caribbean piracy began when Columbus made landfall in the Bahamas. Two years later, the Pope granted Spain the exclusive right to the Caribbean and most of the New World. The Spanish reaped an immense fortune in gold and silver, but with a price. England, France, and Holland all desired a portion of this wealth and each established Caribbean bases and used privateers -- private sailors fighting for profit -- to protect their interests and steal Spanish treasure. The line between privateering and piracy became blurred. This documentary examines this Golden Age of Piracy and the true stories of the infamous pirates, how they operated, and their successes and failures in this dark and deadly profession. TVPG

Monday, July 10
9-10 p.m. E/P

PBS

Subjects: American History

Middle and High School

"History Detectives"

Using the latest investigative technology, a team of experts to uncover surprising facts about our nation's history. In this episode, The Detectives head to Pennsylvania and Maryland to gain a deeper understanding of religious and moral objection to military service. Plus, they trace the ancestry of Mickey Mouse and shed light on some of the earliest bare-knuckle business fights in the toy industry.

To learn how to investigate the history of a building, identify a type of rock or mineral and investigate vintage items - http://www.pbs.org/historydetectives

Tuesday, July 11
8-9 p.m. E/P

National Geographic Channel

Subjects: Science and Geography

Middle and High School

"Impossible Bridges: China"

This documentary goes inside the construction of China's three ultimate bridges: the Lupu, the longest arch bridge in the world; the Runyang, the largest suspension bridge in China and third longest in the world; and the Sutong, soon to be the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world. Engineers had to overcome enormous construction challenges, including building them tall enough to straddle huge cargo ships and strong enough to withstand powerful earthquakes and typhoon-force winds.

Wednesday, July 12
8-9 p.m. E/P

PBS

Subjects: Science

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Jean Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures: Sharks At Risk"

This documentary uncovers the story of the worldwide extermination of sharks and explains that sharks have more to fear from humans than we do from them. The rapid decline of sharks, long maligned as man-eaters, could affect many other species in the food chain.

You may want to go to the program's web site to download program-related ringtones and wallpapers for your mobile phones. http://www.pbs.org/oceanadventures/episodes/sharks http://www.pbs.org/oceanadventures/episodes/sharks

Wednesday, July 12
10-11 p.m. E/P

National Geographic Channel

Subjects: Science and World History

Elementary,Middle and High School

"Naked Science: Pyramids"

Magnificent, awe-inspiring and mysterious, the Pyramids of Egypt have baffled archeologists and humankind for thousands of years. How were these mausoleums constructed hundreds of feet high, true to within inches? Why was that nation devoted to housing its dead? Who were the men who hauled billions of tons of stone?

Thursday, July 13
7-8 p.m. ET, 4-5 p.m. PT

Ovation - The Arts Channel

Subjects: Arts and World History

Elementary, Middle and High School

"The Private Life of a Masterpiece ??? 'Sunflowers???"

"Sunflowers" by Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most famous works of art in the world. This program presents the hidden history behind the painting.

Log on http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/sunflowerindex.html

Friday, July 14
10-11 p.m. E/P

Discovery Channel

Subjects: Science and Geography

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Survivorman"

No food, no shelter, no fresh water. One man, alone in the wild for seven days, with only his wits and stamina to sustain him. That's the idea behind each episode of this documentary series which shows survival expert Les Stroud abandoned in a remote location with little more than the clothes on his back???and his cameras. He not only needs to survive for a week with no supplies, but he needs to film everything himself, dragging 50 pounds of camera gear and batteries every inch of the way. Armed with a unique one-person camera rig and an abundance of wry humor, He documents his struggles to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in climates as diverse as the Costa Rican rainforest, Georgia swampland, the high Sonoran desert and the Arctic ice floes. In this episode he???s stranded in the canyon-lands of Utah. He has only scavenged bike parts, a multi-tool, a magnesium flint-stick and an old energy bar to help him survive for seven days.

Saturday, July 15
7-8 p.m. E/P

History Channel

Subjects: American History

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Modern Marvels: Ben Franklin Tech"

Most students know Ben Franklin as a man of great wit and wisdom, as the oldest and wisest Founding Father. But this program shows him as the late 18th Century's foremost scientist, and one of the greatest inventors of any era. From the humble Pennsylvania Stove to the spectacular lightning rod--Franklin was concerned with putting scientific principals to practical use. The program explains his many inventions, including: his unique musical instrument, the glass armonica, for which both Mozart and Beethoven wrote pieces; his anti-counterfeiting techniques, including multi-colored inks, elaborate ornamentation, and the use of "leaf printing" -- when a metal engraving plate is made from a plant's leaf, making it impossible to copy; and bifocal glasses. Franklin's inventive genius extended to entire systems, including: the modern volunteer fire department, first fire insurance company, Daylight Savings Time, and America's first lending library. TVPG