In the past two years, as part of Kenny’s American History homeschool cooperative courses, he studied both the states of the union and the U.S. presidents.
During the first year, when they studied the states of the union, Kenny learned each state’s capital city, borders, date it entered the Union, abbreviation, designated bird, tree, flower, and could identify its flag. The second year’s American History cooperative course focused on the U.S. presidents; so, he learned their presidential order, along with facts like what political party they were part of (if at all), birth and death dates, spouses, education, religion, and so on.
With both the states and the presidents, the students in the course filled out individual notebooking worksheets, which would have been my favorite part, but was not Kenny’s favorite by a long shot. I would have intricately colored the pages, used my best handwriting, and spent tons of time making each state sheet a unique addition to my notebook.
Clearly I was the student noteobooking pages were designed to entice.
Kenny, on the other hand, enjoyed learning all the different bits and pieces, but recording it any place other than his head was not his idea of fun.
So, when I turned the corner on Target’s bargain aisle and found an end cap with “Let’s Grow Smart” Flash Cards for both the U.S. presidents and states for ONE DOLLAR each, I knew I had to buy them.
Not because we need to study them again; although a quick review is not a bad idea, but because I wanted to show them to YOU in case you have your own “Kenny” who would enjoy flash cards with pre-printed information MUCH MORE than collecting and writing all the information on their own.
Also?
THEY ARE A DOLLAR.
As in, $1.00.
As in, cheap-o!
The United States Flash Cards include 52 colorful, two-sided cards.
One side of the card shows the state, the capital, some of the larger cities, the state’s borders, and the state seal, which is printed at the top right, next to the state name.
The state’s flag, abbreviation, capital, nickname, day of entry into the union, bird, flower, motto and quick facts are printed on the flip side of the flash card.
Also included in the pack of 52 cards is a flash card with facts for the District of Columbia and another flash card with a map of the United States on one side…
…and a printed list of all the states on the other.
Each flash card is printed on thick, durable, high-gloss paper with rounded corners.
I was most impressed with the U.S. Presidents flash card pack because of the full color copies of the “official white house” portraits of each president.
Part of Kenny’s final test in his American History course required that he label a random selection of presidents by their faces. These flash cards would have made it VERY EASY to study for that test.
Atop the presidential portrait is a number representing their presidential order.
All 44 presidents are represented–from George Washington to Barack Obama
Including the first president I ever voted for–Ronald Reagan. I should probably mention it was an elementary school election since I was nowhere near voting age in the early ’80s.
The flip side of the presidential card gives important facts and achievements of each president.
This set also includes photos of the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial for a total of 48 flash cards.
For only a DOLLAR a pack, these flash cards were what I call a “cheap treat.” I’m not sure if they are available anywhere else at the same price. I regretted not purchasing more packs until I reminded myself that would have negated the cheap price tag; plus, I’m TRYING to reduce the amount of “stuff” in the schoolroom.
The Target bargain aisle end cap also had flash cards from “Let’s Grow Smart” for Reading Readiness, Same or Different, Math Concepts, Beginning Sounds, ABCs, 123s, etc…if your children are of an age to enjoy those.
I’m curious, what “cheap treat” have you found over the summer–an educational purchase that was such a steal you could hardly believe it? No cheap treats? Okay, what would YOU do with THESE cards?
Heather Sanders is a leading homeschooling journalist who inspires homeschooling families to live, love and learn. Married to Jeff, Heather lives in the East Texas Piney Woods where she currently home schools two of her three kids.