Cheaper than Work Boxes-less room also

I have 4 children and a small house. Our dining room is our arts and crafts, computer and class room. The thought of more boxes just is not a possibility for us. I admit I did not buy the book about work boxes but Google andread as many blogs of those that are doing it, to get an idea that would work for our family in homeschooling.
We tried paper schedules and that just wasn't working. I make ATCs in my scrapbooking world. These are baseball sized cards, using retro and classic elements to make these artsy fartsy cards. I love them. A small canvas and they make me smile. So I thought why don't I blend my art hobby with homeschool. Kinda like peanut butter and chocolate, I imagine Reece being rather happy the day he made Peanut butter cups.
Enough of my rambling.
How it works. First I went and listed ALL the things each child did or could do of the ever growing of school items. I made these 2.5x3.5 inch cards for each one. Here is an example of one for READing:
I expect at least one half hour of reading each day and they have to journal what they read. I like to have this after lunch. This is one of the cards. I then made 9 to a page, so I could print them out. I then went and got some baseball card protectors sold at Wal-Mart for cheap, they already have 3 hole punch and open at the top. I print 4 of each page, cut them out for my Master folder.


I still have a Master Schedule to help me to know what we are doing during the day and for each day. It is more of a skeleton to build with the work cards. You can see the highlights, that is for subject. Because we have scheduling conflicts with computer and mom needs. I have to schedule accordingly. Math is yellow, History blue, Science green and all English is pink, and Spanish is red, then Breaks and lunch are kinda khaki. This is more to help me make sure I don't have everybody on Spanish at once. It is also nice that I have one on the computer with headphones while I help another who is struggling in a subject.

Each afternoon, I look at the work completed on the left side of the child's folder, and record or note as needed and place in the back of the folder to hold for our ES.

This green folder is Gabriel's, and you can see he starts the day with Spelling. On the card is the word TEST, he has to be prepared for his spelling test on Wednesday. That is his responsibility.
Next comes, Math. Notice there is a blank space next? Each subject is about 1/2 hour long, and math needs the extra time. Handwriting without Tears is next, and I am needed to be there with him. Then comes break time!
After break is History Work Sheets and the report he is working on at the time. I have the worksheets for the week in the folder or if there is a curriculum book, he knows what is expected.
The back of the page is for after lunch. Each child is expected to put the folder in my in basket every evening. I usually go over it in the morning before school and rearrange the cards at that time. My goal is to have them arranging their own, but at this time I do it.
I have about 36 cards made up, if this is something you are interested in doing, I will upload them for a free download. Please leave a comment and I will do it.