SAT Vocab - MindSnacks
Key Standards Supported
|L.8: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use|
|L.8.6||Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.|
|L.9-10: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use|
|L.9-10.6||Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.|
|L.11-12: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use|
|L.11-12.6||Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.|
The free version includes one lesson with only 20 SAT prep words. Once unlocked for $4.99, it includes 500 words.
There's no teacher dashboard, but since users create their own accounts, multiple students could use the device and track their progress.
ProsEach game presents vocabulary in a different way, leading to real depth of understanding.
ConsLevel progression stalls in the free version once the list is mastered.
Bottom LineUpgrading to the full version gets you great games and a thorough word list for SAT vocab prep.
Graphite Expert Review
Common Sense Graphite Reviewer
A variety of game formats keeps the words fresh and the challenge high. Hand-illustrated graphics are modern and fun, and kids will get hooked on the motivating quests.
Nine different games give students many ways to cement understanding of new vocabulary and the ability to recall it.
The speed with which kids are pushed to recall words is nerve-wracking! Gameplay isn't always intuitive, leading to some unnecessary misses while still working out how to play.
SAT Vocab - Mindsnacks is a game-based app that helps kids studying for the PSAT or SAT improve vocabulary skills. The free version includes one lesson with only 20 words. Once it's unlocked, you'll find 500 SAT prep words presented in 25 different lessons that focus on 20 words each. Students demonstrate word mastery by completing nine different games that highlight the words in a lesson.
Game objectives involve matching the word to a synonym; matching definition, image, and antonym; sentence completion; and identifying the word by definition and spelling the word. A tutorial leads students through the game feature, and the app tracks not only the words students have grasped but also the skills -- such as antonyms or rapid recall -- that they've mastered or may be struggling with.Read More Read Less
The games themselves are fun and surprisingly challenging. Speed factors into performance, which certainly helps when preparing for timed tests. For example, as the level progresses in the first game -- where students must correctly match the term to its definition or synonym to keep a fish from running out of water -- the water levels decrease progressively faster as the game goes on. At some advanced levels, students barely have time to read all the word choices before the water level is out and their little fish becomes an angel.
Completing certain quests rewards students with different spirits, which can be motivating. And students can review what they've mastered at points along the way, which helps to reinforce learning. They can also see a report of their performance in each of the skill sets, such as antonyms or rapid recall, which helps with test skills.Read More Read Less
A couple of valuable options to note: Students can receive push notifications to remind them to do their daily vocab practice, and they can also get a word of the day through push notification. Give extra-credit quizzes or points to kids who keep up with daily vocab on their own devices.Read More Read Less