Learn & Play
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Learning at Home | Week of 1/10 – 1/14

Take advantage of this week’s Learning at Home broadcast schedule – great for students engaged in hybrid or distance instruction, and families looking to spend some extra, quality time together!

After watching these fascinating programs, explore the PBS LearningMedia and web resources to learn more.

Highlight of the Week

Big Pacific | Mysterious
Wednesday, January 12, 1 PM

Plunge into the Pacific with researchers and cinematographers and see the ocean’s rare and dazzling creatures in a way never before seen on television. Big Pacific examines an ocean that covers a third of the Earth’s surface. Man has explored land, the ocean’s surface, and large parts of the solar system, and in the 21st century we are just beginning to explore the depths of the Pacific Ocean. We yearn to unravel the mysterious Pacific – but she does not give up her secrets willingly.

Learning at Home
Week of 1/10 – 1/14

Monday, January 10

1 PM: NATURE: Living Volcanoes

Uncover the variety of activity, both human and natural, that occurs on the slopes of active volcanoes. Take a terrifying descent into the crater of one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes alive today. James Naughton narrates.

2 PM: NOVA: High-Risk High-Rise

Skyscrapers are gleaming symbols of prestige, and an ingenious way to save space in dense urban areas. But as buildings rise ever higher, what are the risks of these architectural behemoths? Do we truly know how they will hold up in earthquakes, fires, and other potential disasters? What have–or haven’t—we learned from past tragedies?

Tuesday, January 11

1 PM: Dayton Codebreakers

Throughout 1942, German U-boats were sinking hundreds of American ships in the Atlantic Ocean, effectively cutting the supply line to embattled ally England. In desperation, the United States Navy turned to the National Cash Register Company in Dayton, Ohio, to design and build code-breaking machines. The high-priority and highly classified project involved hundreds of civilians, Naval officers and one engineer of German descent whose insight and technical ability helped break the complex Enigma code. Dayton Codebreakers uncovers Joseph Desch’s role in helping end World War II, through interviews with eminent historians, scientists and honored war veterans.

2 PM: A Wild Idea: The Birth of the APA

New York’s Adirondack Park is larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Canyon, and Great Smokies National Parks combined. It is one of the largest unbroken deciduous forests on earth. It has a thousand miles of streams and rivers, hundreds of lakes, and lofty peaks. Even more amazing, most of the land within the park is privately owned, and 85 million people live within a day’s drive. Yet the Adirondacks seem entirely undeveloped. How did that happen? The founding of the Adirondack Park Agency, 50 years ago, was truly, A Wild Idea.

Wednesday, January 12

1 PM: Big Pacific | Mysterious

Plunge into the Pacific with researchers and cinematographers and see the ocean’s rare and dazzling creatures in a way never before seen on television. Big Pacific examines an ocean that covers a third of the Earth’s surface. Man has explored land, the ocean’s surface, and large parts of the solar system, and in the 21st century we are just beginning to explore the depths of the Pacific Ocean. We yearn to unravel the mysterious Pacific – but she does not give up her secrets willingly.

2 PM: First Civilizations: War

Using the latest in archaeology, anthropology and genetics, First Civilizations tells the story of where the modern world began. In the first episode, War, examine the process of “destructive creation” — the idea that fear, rivalry and conflict strengthen community bonds while stimulating an arms race of technological progress. The result is civilization. Ancient Mesoamerica exemplifies this development.

Thursday, January 13

1 PM: American Masters | Ailey

Discover the legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey whose dances center on the Black American experience with grace, strength and beauty. Featuring previously unheard audio interviews with Ailey, interviews with those close to him and an intimate glimpse into the Ailey studios today.

2:30 PM: POV Shorts: Positive Images

Two short docs explore the history and memory of African-American communities: the creator of an archive of black excellence fights to make it permanent; and a family’s audiovisual legacy, identities, and relationships are revisited.

Friday, January 14

1 PM: Soundscapes: Lydia von Hof

Local musicians and stunning scenics take centerstage on Soundscapes. Singer/songwriter Lydia von Hof is introduced to audiences through her blend of jazz and pop tunes at the Strand Center Theatre in Plattsburgh, NY.

1:30 PM: Articulate | Finding Their Own Way

Phoebe Bridgers is one of the most talked about singer-songwriters on the indie scene. She creates story songs that are wise beyond her years. With his iconoclastic dance company JUNK, choreographer Brian Sanders makes provocative work that pushes the extremes of audiences’ comfort zones.

2 PM: The Hudson River School: Artistic Pioneers

In the vicinity of New York’s Hudson River Valley, a group of American painters led by British born artist Thomas Cole forged an artistic vision of the wilderness. This was the first American school of landscape painting. Men with the names of Cole, Durand, Cropsey, Bierstadt, and Church would impress the world with their creative brilliance and wondrous vision. On canvas they would bring to life 19th century America.

Learning at Home on Mountain Lake PBS is supported by:
Adirondack Foundation