Every year Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's birthday raises interest in African-American history. Parents and Teachers look for ways to introduce history to kids through stories and pictures.
Here is a short list of picture books to use with children in classrooms and at home.
#1. Significant People in history:
Heart and Soul: the story of America and African Americans
Boycott Blues:how Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation [b:14005293|Obama: Only in America
#2. Significant Eras in history:
Ellen's Broom
The Great Migration: Journey to the North
Sit-In: how Four Friends stood up by Sitting Down
#3. Significant Folklore:
Bruh Rabbit and the Tar Baby Girl
John Henry:an American Legend
The Talking Eggs
You can visit my Public List and choose more titles to share with your children.

The 54th Annual Southeast Michigan Science Fair happens on March 9 and 10, 2012 at Washtenaw Community College's Morris Lawrence Building.

If you are in Grades 6, 7 and 8 from any school in the region you are eligible to enter Individual or Team projects in the Middle School Division. If you are in grades 9 through 12 from any school in the region are eligible to enter Individual or Team projects in the High School Division.

To enter your science fair project you must pre-register by Friday, February 17.

The regional Southeastern Michigan Science Fair is affiliated with the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. This event is sponsored by the University of Michigan and Washtenaw Community College in cooperation with public and private schools in the five county regions.

It is so thrilling when a performer you have admired for years, hits the stage in Ann Arbor and you feel like you can share him with your favorite friends. Willy Claflin is an award-winning author, balladeer and storyteller. Not only will he teach us his hilarious voice techniques on Saturday, February 18 at 10 am at the Downtown Library, but he’ll entertain on Saturday evening for adults and Sunday afternoon for children at The Ark as part of their 25th annual Storytelling Festival.

Tuesday February 7, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Traverwood Branch: Program Room

Planning for college can be stressful without the right tools and resources. College planners charge hefty fees with no promises, magazines publish arbitrary rankings, and Wall Street just says "save a bundle."

Local college counselor John Boshoven, named one of the "Counselors Who Change Lives" in 2010, leads this panel consisting of educators, a career counselor, and a financial planner - all parents with a track record of helping their own children successfully navigate the college experience. Join them for straight talk, no fee, valuable tips, a little humor, and the opportunity to get your college planning questions answered.

Meet Timothy Michling on his oboe, listen to classical piano with Kathryn Goodson and hear a story with Gari Stein in a musical celebration for young children at the Downtown Library on Friday, February 17 at 9:30 and 10:30 am. Our partnership with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra has brought thousands of children and their families to the library for music appreciation over the past several years.Oboe

teens using drugs

The "Teens Using Drugs: What To Know and What To Do" series will resume next week on February 7th (part 1, "What To Know") and the following Tuesday, February 14th (part 2, "What To Do.") This free, ongoing, two-part series is presented by Brian Spitsbergen, Director, Community Intervention and Treatment, Growth Works, Inc. & takes place at SJMH's Education Center. The series is co-sponsored by Dawn Farm and the Livingston/Washtenaw Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities Act Consortium and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. All are welcome!

For years Charles Dickens kept the story of his own childhood a secret. Yet it is a story worth telling. As a child, Dickens was forced to live on his own and work long hours in a rat-infested blacking factory. In this book, you will be drawn into the winding streets of London in 1824, where you will learn how the legendary author got the inspiration for many of his characters. The 200th anniversary of Dickens's birth is February 7, 2012, and this tale of his little-known boyhood is the perfect way to introduce kids to this great author. Here is historical fiction at its ingenious best.

Are you in the market for a preschool? Are you looking for a good place to start your search? Then you should come to the Preschool Expo on January 29th! What is the Preschool Expo? It’s an event that brings representatives from many area preschools to one location, on one date. That way, it’s easy to gather information on preschools and talk with the representatives in order to find a good fit for your child! This free event is co-sponsored by the Ann Arbor District Library, Washtenaw Success by Six, Child Care Network, and U-M Work/Life Resource Center. Come explore your options at the Preschool Expo!

Date: Sunday, January 29th
Time: 1:00 – 4:00p.m.
Place: Palmer Commons on the U-M Campus
100 Washtenaw Ave.
(Located at the intersection of Central and Medical Campuses)
Parking: Free parking available in the structure across the street from Palmer Commons

The first day of the 2012 Chinese New Year is Monday January 23. On that day, the mystical dragon returns, in its first appearance since the turn of the millennium. The dragon is the epitome of power, nobility and perseverance, tracing back to early Chinese mythology.

Countless Chinese dragon legends run through ancient Chinese history. In The Dragon Emperor : a Chinese Folktale the dragon emperor Ying Long is a powerful ruler. But a warrior named Chi You plans to overthrow the emperor and take control of China. How will the emperor protect his country? For a look at all twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, try The Dragon's Tale and Other Animal Fables of the Chinese Zodiac, with striking illustrations by Demi.

You can listen to Mandarin or English dialog with subtitles in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, or Hanyu Pinyin on the DVD Story of the Chinese Zodiac : Shi er Sheng Xiao di Gu Shi.

And why not try your hand at Origami : Asian Arts & Crafts for Creative Kids?
However you celebrate, we wish you a healthy and prosperous new year!