Common Sense Review
Updated June 2015
Grade 6 Vocab Audios and Pics
Common Sense Rating
3
Teacher Rating
Not Yet Rated
Not Yet Rated
Price
$1.99
This grade range is a recommendation by the Common Sense Education editorial team, not the developer/publisher.
Grades
5-7 Platforms
Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch Subjects
English Language Arts
- letter or word recognition
- reading comprehension
- spelling
- vocabulary
Skills
Character & SEL
- humility
- perseverance
- self-reflection
- decision-making
- memorization
- test prep
Purpose
Targeted Practice Standards
Common Core State Standards 
Main menu showing three modes and feedback button.
Study page for "debut," including cartoon and definition, and audio button at bottom (right arrow).
Usage "short story" on flip side of study page for debut.
Quiz page for debut from the "don’t know" list; correct answer in green text with green check mark; orange light-bulb icon is for cartoon hint.
Study page for intensive (adj) showing business people after some intensive activity.
Pros
Quizzes provide immediate feedback, and students can then focus on unlearned words.Cons
The app offers too few words and lacks stats, and the settings don't work.Bottom Line
An okay tool for vocab study; look elsewhere for better progress tracking and more kid-friendly animation.
Setup Time
Less than 5 minutes
Evidence
Developer claims research base
Teacher Dashboard
None
Tech Notes
None
Publisher
Lafazi, Inc
Common Sense Rating
3
Engagement
Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?
3
Cartoons illustrate word meanings to make them memorable and fun, but there's minimal interaction in this flashcard-style review.
Pedagogy
Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?
4
The vocabulary list includes more than 200 grade-level words, but there's no way to create custom lists. Kids can review mastered words or words they haven't mastered yet.
Support
Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?
3
Navigation is intuitive with simple, sleek controls: study words, flashcards, or take quiz. Students get immediate feedback on right and wrong quiz answers.
How Can Teachers Use It?
This is a solid tool to make learning words fun. Teachers can use Grade 6 Vocab Audio and Pics as a supplement to a vocabulary practice that includes other apps, or offer a flashcard each day as a warm-up or closing activity. The quizzes are great practice, but students will need to self-report their scores if teachers want to monitor them.
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What's It Like?
Grade 6 Vocab Audio and Pics is one in a series of vocabulary-building apps. Quirky cartoons illustrate each word, and detailed, high-quality audio recordings present "short stories" or usage examples. Through study, flashcard, and multiple-choice quiz modes, students can learn 218 middle school-level words like deluge, gainful, and nonconformist.
In study mode, kids search or scroll for particular words, read the part of speech and definition, enjoy a cartoon, flip the page for usage text, or press the (somewhat cryptic) audio button at the bottom (it's a right arrow) to hear the definition and usage. Flashcard mode shows only the word and part of speech, but kids can tap to see the cartoon as a hint or flip for the definition. Twenty-word quizzes give five definition choices. Correct answers are highlighted in green with a check mark, while incorrect answers are marked in red with an X. Words get separated by students or by quiz results into “mastered” and "don't know" lists.
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Is It Good For Learning?
Grade 6 Vocab Audio and Pics taps into a middle schooler's quirky sense of humor, which means new vocab words will be grafted onto their brains. The graphics are crisp, navigation is intuitive, and the audio feature is great for kids who struggle with reading or learning disabilities. Entries also feature spot-on definitions and parts of speech, which are sometimes left out of competing products.
Even with all these great features, we have a few quibbles. Cartoons are sometimes a bit off, depicting more of a related concept. For example, the word intensive shows a group of business people resting on the beach in their suits and skirts, preumably after some kind of conference or business meeting. It's cute and funny but a bit confusing, not to mention adult-oriented. Also, settings don't seem to work, performance statistics are only available at the ends of quizzes, and the cartoons lack diversity.
Read more Read lessKey Standards Supported
Language | |
| L.5: Conventions of Standard English | |
| L.5.1 | Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. |
| L.5.2 | Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. |
| Knowledge of Language | |
| L.5.3 | Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. |
| L.5.3a | Expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style. |
| L.5.3b | Compare and contrast the varieties of English (e.g., dialects, registers) used in stories, dramas, or poems. |
| Vocabulary acquisition and Use | |
| L.5.4 | Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. |
| L.5.4a | Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. |
| L.5.4b | Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis). |
| L.5.4c | Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. |
| L.5.5 | Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. |
| L.5.5a | Interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context. |
| L.5.5b | Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs. |
| L.5.5c | Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homographs) to better understand each of the words. |
| L.5.6 | Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition, and other logical relationships (e.g., however, although, nevertheless, similarly, moreover, in addition). |
| L.6: Conventions of Standard English | |
| L.6.1 | Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. |
| L.6.2 | Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. |
| Knowledge of Language | |
| L.6.3 | Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. |
| Vocabulary Acquisition and Use | |
| L.6.4 | Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. |
| L.6.5 | Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. |
| L.6.6 | 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. |
Reading Informational | |
| RI.5: Key Ideas and Details | |
| RI.5.1 | Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. |
| RI.5.2 | Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text. |
| RI.5.3 | Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text. |
| Craft and Structure | |
| RI.5.4 | Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area. |
| RI.5.5 | Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more texts. |
| RI.5.6 | Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent. |
| Integration of Knowledge and Ideas | |
| RI.5.7 | Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently. |
| RI.5.8 | Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s). |
| RI.5.9 | Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. |
| Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity | |
| RI.5.10 | By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and proficiently. |
| RI.6: Key Ideas and Details | |
| RI.6.1 | Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. |
| RI.6.2 | Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. |
| RI.6.3 | Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes). |
| Craft and Structure | |
| RI.6.4 | Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. |
| RI.6.5 | Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas. |
| RI.6.6 | Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text. |
| Integration of Knowledge and Ideas | |
| RI.6.7 | Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue. |
| RI.6.8 | Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. |
| RI.6.9 | Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person). |
| Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity | |
| RI.6.10 | By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. |
| RI.7: Key Ideas and Details | |
| RI.7.1 | Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. |
| RI.7.2 | Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. |
| RI.7.3 | Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events). |
| Craft and Structure | |
| RI.7.4 | Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone. |
| RI.7.5 | Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. |
| RI.7.6 | Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others. |
| Integration of Knowledge and Ideas | |
| RI.7.7 | Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium’s portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words). |
| RI.7.8 | Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims. |
| RI.7.9 | Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts. |
| Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity | |
| RI.7.10 | By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. |
Reading Literature | |
| RL.5: Key Ideas and Details | |
| RL.5.1 | Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. |
| RL.5.2 | Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text. |
| RL.5.3 | Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact). |
| Craft and Structure | |
| RL.5.4 | Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes. |
| RL.5.5 | Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem. |
| RL.5.6 | Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described. |
| Integration of Knowledge and Ideas | |
| RL.5.7 | Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem). |
| RL.5.8 | (Not applicable to literature) |
| RL.5.9 | Compare and contrast stories in the same genre (e.g., mysteries and adventure stories) on their approaches to similar themes and topics. |
| Range of Reading and Complexity of Text | |
| RL.5.10 | By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and proficiently. |
| RL.6: Key Ideas and Details | |
| RL.6.1 | Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. |
| RL.6.2 | Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. |
| RL.6.3 | Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution. |
| Craft and Structure | |
| RL.6.4 | Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone. |
| RL.6.5 | Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot. |
| RL.6.6 | Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text. |
| Integration of Knowledge and Ideas | |
| RL.6.7 | Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch. |
| RL.6.8 | (Not applicable to literature) |
| RL.6.9 | Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics. |
| Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity | |
| RL.6.10 | By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. |
| RL.7: Key Ideas and Details | |
| RL.7.1 | Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. |
| RL.7.2 | Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. |
| RL.7.3 | Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot). |
| Craft and Structure | |
| RL.7.4 | Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama. |
| RL.7.5 | Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning. |
| RL.7.6 | Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. |
| Integration of Knowledge and Ideas | |
| RL.7.7 | Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film). |
| RL.7.8 | (Not applicable to literature) |
| RL.7.9 | Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history. |
| Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity | |
| RL.7.10 | By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. |
