Every year index cards are on my school list of things to buy. I purchase lined standard sized index cards, blank index cards, oversized index cards, colored index cards, color coded index cards and spiral bound index cards. I get a little index card crazy. On the 50th time I go to the store, I pick up index cards and remember I purchased a pack the last 49 trips to the store. You may ask what I do with so many index cards. Nothing. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, I do nothing with the hundreds of lined, blank and color coded index cards I purchase. They always seem so useful and full of possibilities when I gaze at them in the store. Yet it never fails that once they are home I place them in the file marked “a good idea that will never take shape.” Vowing to never let that happen again and to justify 1000s of index cards, I have decided to put my index cards to use. Here are the possibilities that may help me use some of those index cards and maybe it will inspire you as well.
Flash cards: A simple idea but quite effective for studying and saving you money on buying sets of flash cards. You can use these for math, spelling, foreign language, letters, numbers, phonics, etc.
Time line: If you are short on space making a large sized time line impossible, try using your index cards as an alternative. This is a great time to use color coded cards as well. You can organize your index box time line by using different colors cards to represent an era or time span.
Vocabulary: Write a vocabulary word on one side and the definition on the other.
Games: Have your children make their own card games using index cards. Index cards make for great memory card games as well.
Narration Cards: I have actually used this idea with great success. One of the few times I broke out the index cards and put them to good use. Use the cards to write down different narration ideas and have your child pick one a day. You can also organize your cards by days of the week so your child knows which narration exercise to do on each day of the week.
Studying: For history you can write a date or person on one side and important information on the other. Use the cards for vocabulary tests, math rules, science terms and more!
How do you use your index cards?
Related Articles:
The Three Bears Unit Study Outline
Gardening as a Whole Curriculum