Entering week two in our school year, my elementary-aged kids are having a blast! Starting the year off with learning about the gold rush of 1849 was a wise choice—and a fun one. With little prep needed, I had all of the resources below on hand from previous years teaching my other kids—although they were never used together. Piecing them together has made the past week and a half go smoothly and has been tremendously enjoyable—the perfect start for a new year! By the Great Horn Spoon! by Sid Fleischman is an absolute winner. Where has this author been my whole life? Of course I know him from The Whipping Boy but why did I not ever explore his other works until recently? Take his McBroom books for example. Have you READ McBroom and the Big Wind? I mean actually read it. Out loud. To your kids. It is the BEST book to read aloud. It is hilarious and so much fun. Make sure you add the hillbilly accent. You have to. It makes the whole book. I read that recently to my kid...