Wednesday, Feb. 13
9-11 p.m. E/P

PBS

Subjects: US History

Middle and High School

"African American Lives 2: We Come From People/The Past Is Another Country"

Building on the widespread acclaim of AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES (2006), which The New York Times called "the most exciting and stirring documentary on any subject to appear on television in a long time," This documentary miniseries journeys deep 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. Episode three reveals stories of participants' ancestors during the early years of the United States, including a riveting account of life in slavery by Morgan Freeman's great-grandmother, unearthed within the records of the Depression-era Works Progress Administration, and Peter Gomes' ancestors, who were freed and supported by Quaker families in Virginia in the late 1700s. Episode four presents fascinating discoveries about participants' lineages, thanks to DNA analysis, including a groundbreaking study linking Professor Gates to a powerful medieval Irish warlord and evidence that Peter Gomes' direct paternal line traces back to a Portuguese Jew who fled the country in the early 1500s to escape the Inquisition. TV-PG

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

Wednesday, Feb. 13
8-9 p.m. E/P

History Channel

Subjects: US History and Science

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Modern Marvels - George Washington Carver Tech"

This is a documentary about one of the 20th century's greatest scientists, George Washington Carver. Rising from slavery to become one of the world's most respected and honored men, he devoted his life to understanding nature and the many uses for the simplest of plant life. His scientific research in the late 1800s produced agricultural innovations like crop rotation and composting. Part of the "chemurgist" movement that changed the rural economy, he found ingenious applications for the peanut, soybean, and sweet potato. At Tuskegee Institute, Dr. Carver invented more than 300 uses for the peanut, while convincing poor farmers to rotate cotton crops with things that would add nutrients to the soil. A visionary, Carver shared his knowledge free of charge, happy in his Tuskegee laboratory where he could use his gifts to help others

Thursday, Feb. 14
8-10 p.m. E/P

National Geographic Channel

Subjects: Science

Middle and High School

"Six Degrees Could Change the World"

Scientific models predict that a shift in the global average temperature of only 6 Celsius (or 10.8 Fahrenheit) could induce cataclysmic changes unlike any experienced during human life on Earth. This documentary visualizes in spectacular high definition the devastating ecological impact that each single degree increase in temperature could have on our planet over the next century.

Log on http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/sixdegrees/

Friday, Feb. 15
7-8 p.m. E/P

History Channel

Subjects: Science

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Modern Marvels: Got Milk?"

Billions of pounds of milk are consumed worldwide on a daily basis. Milk is the basis for its own food group, and has been around since the dawn of mammals. Visit a farm with a milking parlor that looks more like a cow merry-go-round. This documentary explains what pasteurization is really all about, and even shows how to milk a yak. Find out what those active cultures in yogurt are and discover if milk truly makes the body good.

Saturday, Feb. 16
7-8 p.m. E/P

Discovery Science Channel

Subjects: Science

Elementary, Middle and High School

"Beyond Invention Artificial Intelligence"

Cyber beings are a reality. They could star in a movie, or even save lives. Inventors build flying robots, create life inside the computer, and bring smart bugs to the military. TV-G