Totally Texas -- What I did on my spring break. . .

In honor of spring break in North Texas schools, I’m offering a sample of activities, in two classes, Extra Credit 101 and Just for Fun 102. But don’t let the titles fool you. Extra Credit is extra fun and Just for Fun is good for your brain. (But don’t tell your parents!)

EXTRA CREDIT

March 8 -- Discovery Days at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, 2201 N. Field St., Dallas. Fun facts about dinosaurs and paleontology for all ages, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
$15 adults, $10 ages 2-11. See www.perotmuseum.org/.

March 9 -- CSI Family Day at the Sixth Floor Museum, 411 Elm St., Dallas. Be one of the first 500 kids through the door to investigate a mock crime scene and get yourself fingerprinted as well. Noon - 5 p.m., for ages 8 and older. $5 for program when combined with museum admission, $16 adults, $13 kids. See www.jfk.org/.

March 10-15 --Interurban Railway Museum, 901 E 15th Street, Plano, TX. ( Repeats each Monday through Saturday.) Open 10 a.m. 0- 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1-5 p.m. Saturday. Hundred year-old post office car, recreated depot, scale model train and hands-on experiments in electricity. Free, but donations welcome. See http://planoconservancy.org/.

March 11-14. Staycation at the Farmstead, Heritage Farmstead Museum, 1900 W. 15^th St., Plano. Wash clothes the old-fashioned way, feed chickens, plow and plant the fields, see hands-on demonstrations plus visit all the cute animals! 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. $5. See www.heritagefarmstead.org/.

March 11 - 16 -- “Hanskaska: The Shirtwearers” (through April 27). Recreations of regalia of historically important Plains Indian leaders by Cowgirl Hall of Fame artist Cathy A. Smith. National Cowgirl Museum, 1720 Gendy St., Fort Worth. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday noon - 5 p.m. Tickets $10 for ages 13 and up, $8 for ages 3-12. Parking $5. See
www.cowgirl.net/.

March 13 -- Skyline 360 Tours at Klyde Warren Park, 2012 Woodall Rodger Freeway, 5:30 - 6 p.m. Meet at the reading and games room for a tour of the Dallas skyline hosted by the Dallas Center for Architecture. Free. See www.klydewarrenpark.org/.

JUST FOR FUN

March 8 -14 -- A week of family art-making, tours & stories at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., Dallas, 11 p.m. - 5 p.m. daily. Take extra credit for economy -- it’s free! See www.dma.org/.

March 9 -- Drumming with George Cortez, Grand Plaza, Klyde Warren Park, 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway. Practice your percussion skills, 1 -3 p.m. Repeats March 16. Free. See www.klydewarrenpark.org/.

March 14 -- Spring Break ‘til Midnight, Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St., Dallas, 6 p.m. till, you guessed it, midnight! Art, live music and PG movie Labyrinth. Free.  See more info at 
www.nashersculpturecenter.org/.

March 15 -- Gun fights at the Village, Old City Park, 1515 S. Harwood St., Dallas. Trinity River Desperadoes stage mock gunfight on Dallas Heritage Village’s Main Street, noon and 1 p.m. $9 for adults, $5 for ages 4-12. (Repeats first and third Saturdays through June.) Check out the Village’s historic buildings for extra credit. See www.dallasheritagevillage.org/.

(Next Friday -- Dallas St. Patrick’s parade, best viewing spots, what to do--or not!)