On the renaming of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award

This week brought the greatest controversy I have witnessed in the homeschool community since I started homeschooling nearly a decade ago. I am talking about the renaming of the Laura Ingalls Wilder award by the Association for Library Service to Children. The award is now named the Children's Literature Legacy Award, a title that the association feels better represents "its core values of inclusiveness, integrity and respect."

There was a lot of hysteria following the ALSC's announcement, including outrage that libraries would be pulling Wilder's books off the shelves, or that the edtions would be edited, or even that all books with a historical point of view that did not fit with today's values would be destroyed. While we should indeed resist a Fahrenheit 451-style world, I don't think that the renaming of this award merited so much panic.

 To be clear, I DO NOT believe in editing the work of historic authors to fit modern sensibilities - which is not what happened here. I believe that an author's work should stand as written unless they edit it themselves, on their own, before they die. We cannot and should not change the authentic voices of those who came before us, even if we disagree with what they had to say.

But I DO believe that when you know better, you should do better. And today, we know it is NOT okay to characterize Native Americans as non-people, for example. So maybe continuing to glorify an author who did so, by handing out annual awards named in her honor, is not the best example we can set for future generations. I agree with the decision to rename the award.

Our public libraries are, and should be, among the most inclusive and accessible entities in our society, and this award given to authors who have made "a significant and lasting contribution to children's literature" should reflect the values of inclusivity and respect.

 The decision to change the name of the award was respectful and inclusive to many, many readers, like my own kids who are Native American children and were uncomfortable and confused by Wilder's characterizations of minorities. It leaves her work and the honor she received by being the first recipient of the award intact, but changes the award to be better for the future. It was a positive step for all.

How is THAT element used?

We all know oxygen is essential for respiration for most of the animal kingdom, and carbon is the essential building block of all living things. We know mercury is commonly used in thermometers, and calcium is responsible for strong bones. But did you know that your car might not start if not for antimony? Or that Rubidium is essential in the functioning of the GPS system so many of us rely on today?

The more you know about the elements of the periodic table, and how they relate to YOU, the better they will stick in your long term memory. A while back, I shared a favorite book, The Periodic Table: Elements with Style, that personifies the elements in ways that can help students get to know them better.

This week, I want to share another resource, the Periodic Table Matching Game by The Unplanned Homeschooler, currently on sale through the Learning Tangent marketplace for just $2.99.

This fun game is reminiscent of the classic Memory games we all played as kids, but uses real world enformation and colorful illustrations by Keith Enevoldson, an engineer who had me swooning at the concise and colorful way he made the periodic table so relatable.

Using the Periodic Table Matching Game, your students can learn each element's name, symbol, atomic number and even how each element is used in the real world. The game is available in a convenient download. Just print the pages on cardstock and cut out the cards, then play with as many or as few cards as you like.

Study by groups or periods, study just the nonmetals, the transition metals, the noble gases, etc. There are so many ways to study the periodic table using this exciting game. Make chemistry more fun and memorable by adding the Periodic Table Matching Game to your collection of resources.

The Unplanner, 2018-2019 is available now!

Are you still searching for the perfect homeschool organizer for your family? Well, great news! This year's edition of The Unplanner is now available on Amazon for just $7.99.

If you are looking for a professionally bound homeschool organizer that is affordable, easy-to-use, and has attendance sheets for up to six students, you'll want to check out The Unplanner. There are lots of homeschool planners on the market, but The Unplanner is different, because it has just the pages you need, and none of the ones you don't, so you won't feel pressured by an overwhelming amount of blanks. And best of all, you won't have to print and bind your own pages to get the organizer you want!

 Here's a sample pic of pages from The Unplanner. Printed in a 6 by 9 inch format, with a beautiful, glossy cover, this organizer is easy to carry with you wherever you go, or tuck in a cubby or on a shelf with your other homeschooling materials.

 Make sure to check out my store to see my other books. Thank you!