I’ve tried many different options for our timeline cards over the years – hole-punched with fly rings (bulky and unwieldy, also hard to get out for tutoring), in 3 ring binders with sheet protectors (they opened at the top and fell out easily) and loose in a bin (it’s amazing we still have the complete set).
I finally decided to create something that fit what I was looking for and came up with these. Even my Challenge age kids will now pull these out just to thumb through them for fun and nostalgia or use them as a resource when researching a topic.
Our 6×8 photo albums have clear pockets in either 60 or 30 pocket versions. They are perfect for any 5×8 cards. Both sides of the cards are easily visible as you flip through your neatly organized flashcards.
I’ve gathered all of the relevant details about each set of cards for you below. You’ll also see that I used a permanent marker to write the names of the sets on the spine of each album.
Timeline
There are 174 cards total, plus 4 cover cards.
I prefer to use four albums, so I can put one era per 60 page album. I then put personalized timeline cards for each child in at the end of the year.
You could fit them in three albums if you ran them all together.
Ancient World
42 cards + Cover Card
Age of Ancient Empires through John the Baptist
Medieval World
42 cards + Cover Card
Jesus the Messiah through China’s Ming Dynasty
New World
42 cards + Cover Card
Age of Exploration through Darwin Publishes The Origin of Species
Modern World
48 cards + Cover Card
Lincoln’s War Between the States through Trump
Artists & Composers
There are 45 cards total plus 3 cover cards. These will all fit in one 60 pocket album, but we also have people who prefer to put them into three 30 pocket albums to keep them separate by cycle.
Set 1
15 cards + Cover Card
Art & Music in Scripture through Mozart
Set 2
15 cards + Cover Card
Rembrandt through Morisot
Set 3
15 cards + Cover Card
Tchaikovsky through Voices in Postmodern Art
Science
There are 144 cards total plus 4 covers. You will need at least three 60 pocket albums, but may want to use four if you like to organize by pack.
They could also fit in five 30 pocket albums.
Cycle 1
36 cards + Cover Card
Living on the Planet: Biology and Earth Science
Cycle 2
36 cards + Cover Card
Spinning Harmonies: Ecology, Astronomy, and Physics
Cycle 3
36 cards + Cover Card
Uncovering the Design: Anatomy, Chemistry, and Origins
Famous Scientists
36 cards + Cover Card
Seeking to Know: Famous Scientists