I like that you have them make all the cards but stack them into the "I know" and "I don't know" pile because it causes them to discriminate, one of the thinking skills of learning.
I also have my students make flash cards. I like that you make a game out of it, I think thats a great idea. As we get into more of the chapters I tell them not to make flashcards for terms they already know that may be repeated in another chapter. By making flash cards for the ones they do not know it eliminates wasting time on stuff they already know. I also tell them to make two piles for each chapter, an "I know" pile and an "I don't know" pile so they can spend extra time on the ones they do not know yet and just review the ones they do.
I use flash cards often to get the students thinking and focused more. The cards allow them to spell the word correct and learn the meaning as well. If done repeatedly the student will know/learn the word in a few days.
I use flashcards in my class as well. I like that you use them as a game. I have just made my students create the cards for the chapter and have them used as a study aid. Our text book use a support software called "LearnSmart" which has a game that uses flashcards.
