Wednesday, Feb. 6
9-10 p.m. E/P

National Geographic Channel

Subjects: Science

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Explorer: Mammoth Mystery"

Scientists have long debated one of the greatest mysteries of science: What caused the sudden mass extinction of mammoths 13,000 years ago? Now, Explorer: Mammoth Mystery gathers a team of investigators who may have found clues to why the mammoths, which reigned over the landscapes of North America for more than 1 million years, suddenly vanished. Could the clues point to the biggest cosmic impact humans have ever witnessed?

Wednesday, Feb. 6
9-11 p.m. E/P

PBS

Subjects: US History

Middle and High School

"African American Lives 2"

Building on the widespread acclaim of African American Lives 1, which The New York Times called "the most exciting and stirring documentary on any subject to appear on television in a long time," this is a broadcast to two new episodes journeying into the African-American experience to unearth the triumphs and tragedies within the family histories of an all-new group of renowned participants. Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. returns as series host, guiding genealogical investigations through the 20th century, Reconstruction, slavery and early U.S. history and presenting cutting-edge genetic analysis that locates participants' ancestors in Africa, Europe and America. The new series will feature even greater depth of research and more powerful storytelling, as well as a unique twist: one ordinary American, Kathleen Henderson, selected from more than 2,000 applicants, will have her family history researched and DNA tested along with that of Professor Gates and the series' other 10 participants: poet Maya Angelou; author Bliss Broyard; actor Don Cheadle; actor Morgan Freeman; theologian Peter Gomes; publisher Linda Johnson Rice; radio personality Tom Joyner; athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee; comedian Chris Rock; and rock 'n' roll legend Tina Turner. The first episode focuses on stories of Tom Joyner and Bliss Broyard's ancestors in the early 20th century. Episode two traces Chris Rock and Don Cheadle's lineages back through the late 1800s to the Civil War. The episode focuses on the tragic account of Tom Joyner's great-uncles, who were executed in 1915 for a crime that evidence suggests they did not commit, and Bliss Broyard's stunning discovery about the identity of her father - renowned New York Times critic Anatole Broyard - at the time of his death. Episode two continues to trace the guests' lineages back through the late 1800s to the Civil War, featuring such stories as that of Chris Rock's great-great-grandfather, a black Civil War veteran who was twice elected to the South Carolina State Legislature, and Don Cheadle's great-great-grandparents, who, as Chickasaw Freedmen, struggled to build lives for themselves in Oklahoma after being excluded from the tribal rolls. TV-PG

Log on http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives/aal2

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

National Geographic Channel

Subjects: Science

Middle and High School

"Naked Science: Big Freeze"

Imagine our world in the not-too-distant future In parts of the northern hemisphere, the temperature plummets to -9F. At 13 below, public transportation fails. Those caught outside freeze to death. Buildings collapse under the weight of snow and ice. The power goes out, society collapses, and anarchy takes its place. Could this be a vision of our future? This documentary examines what may cause temperatures to plummet and how this could spell disaster for our planet. TV-PG

Friday, Feb. 8
8-10:30 p.m. ET, 5-7:30 p.m. PT

TCM

Subjects: US History and Arts

Middle and High School

"Bound For Glory"

This Oscar-winning movie is the true story of folk singer Woody Guthrie, who rose to the top while fighting for the rights of migrant farm workers. It?s based on the book of the same title by Guthrie, now available in paperback

Log on http://imdb.com/title/tt0074235

Saturday, Feb. 9
6-9 p.m. E/P

Discovery Science Channel

Subjects: Science

Elementary, Middle and High School

"What The Ancients Knew: India/ Greeks/ Japanese"

This is a series of documentaries about ancient scientific knowledge. Long before a Western European civilization emerged, India provided the world with its riches. However, India's invaluable contributions to science and technology have all too often been overlooked. Few know how profoundly India has shaped the modern world. The Western world is built on the wisdom and traditions of the ancient Greeks. While they didn't seek solutions for practical applications, they tackled the big picture with a scientific approach. Japan has a recorded history of only 1600 years. In the eye of history, Japan's economic success happened overnight, and yet it didn't come out of the blue. Cultivating an ancient legacy, modern Japan continues to hold onto her past.

Saturday, Feb. 9
8-10 p.m. E/P

History Channel

Subjects: US History and Geography

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Alaska: Big America"

Alaska--a land of extremes. Its size is staggering--nearly 600,000 square miles, or more than twice the size of Texas. Its vast distances, extreme weather, imposing landscape--all helped shape its history and the lives of those who come under its spell. This 2-hour special heads to far-flung corners of the 49th State to hear compelling stories of life in the bush--from Russian expeditions in the 1700s to building of the Alcan Highway to the WWII Battle for the Aleutian Islands and 1959 statehood. Rating: TV-PG

Sunday, Feb. 10
7-8 p.m. E/P

CBS

Subjects: US History and Government

Middle and High School

"60 Minutes"

In this newsmagazine Steve Kroft interviews Barack Obama and news cameras capture the only behind-the-scenes video of the Democratic presidential candidate's headquarters on Super Tuesday. Then, Katie Couric interviews Hillary Rodham Clinton as the race for the Democratic presidential nomination between her and Barack Obama grows tighter. The final report is about the U.S. Mint which is in a bind: as to whether it continue continue to produce pennies and nickels whose metal content is worth more than their face value?

Monday, Feb. 11
7-8 p.m. E/P

History Channel

Subjects: Science and World History

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Modern Marvels - Nuts"

Tiny as a pea or big as a bowling ball, nutritional, durable, and versatile, nuts have been a staple of the human diet since time began, and archaeological evidence places them among our earliest foods. For that, the ancients worshiped them. And because they were relatively non-perishable, nuts sustained the imperial armies of Rome and China, the royal navies of England and Spain, and the native tribes that roamed the American wilderness. Today, we think of nuts as mere snacks, but in a poignant segment, this documentary shows how a peanut product is used by organizations like UNICEF to reverse malnutrition in starving children in less than four weeks. And a powder ground from walnut shells cleans everything from ship hulls to the Space Shuttle.

Tuesday, Feb. 12
8-9 p.m. E/P

PBS

Subjects: US History and Science

Middle and High School

"NOVA: AstroSpies"

While NASA astronauts were captivating the world with the Apollo lunar landings, the U.S. was engaged in a top-secret military manned space program. IN this documentary investigative author Jim Bamford probes the untold story of an elite corps of clandestine astronauts who were never told of the true purpose of their training program. Bamford travels to Russia to reveal the secrets of the Soviet response that, if deployed, might have led to a Cold War showdown in outer space.

Log on http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies

Tuesday, Feb. 12
9:35-11 p.m. E/p

Sundance Channel

Subjects: Science

High School

"Our Daily Bread"

As part of is environmental programming, Sundance Channel presents a series of documentary films focusing on timely and pressing environmental issues of the day. In this documentary Austrian documentary filmmaker Nikolaus Geyrhalter lifts the veil on modern industrial food production to present a glimpse of a world few of us have ever seen - or are willing to think about. Avoiding conventional narrative techniques, Geyrhalter lets the images speak for themselves. The result is a coldly beautiful and often disturbing visual essay illustrating what goes on in slaughterhouses, manufacturing plants and large dusty fields to process and package our food.