Mr. Alexander’s Class · Reference & support
Find an example. Get unstuck. Find the words to explain your thinking.
Open a topic for clear steps, examples, and reminders you can use right now.
52 topics · 4 collections · Built for classwork, discussions, and independent learning
Connect a constant ratio to a table, graph, and equation.
Remember: A constant difference alone does not prove proportionality. Compare y ÷ x.
Use direction and distance to make sense of signs.
Remember: Fractions and decimals follow the same sign rules as integers.
Decide the sign, then calculate the size.
Remember: Two negative factors give a positive product; adding two negative numbers gives a negative sum.
Find the whole, convert the rate, and calculate the part.
Remember: Use the original amount as the whole when finding percent change.
Rewrite an expression while keeping its value the same.
Remember: An expression has no equals sign. Simplify expressions; solve equations.
Keep both sides equal and undo operations in reverse order.
Remember: Whatever operation you perform on one side, perform it on the other side too.
Represent a whole set of possible solutions.
Remember: Reverse the inequality sign when multiplying or dividing both sides by a negative number.
Match corresponding lengths and keep units consistent.
Remember: Area uses square units. Do not apply a length scale factor just once to an area.
Connect radius, diameter, circumference, and area.
Remember: Circumference uses length units. Area uses square units.
Cover a flat region, wrap a solid, or fill a solid.
Remember: Area and surface area use square units. Volume uses cubic units.
Describe chance with a number from 0 to 1.
Remember: A 50% chance does not guarantee exactly half in every small trial.
Use a fair sample to learn about a larger population.
Remember: Different random samples can give different estimates.
Ask questions, use evidence, and revise your thinking.
Remember: Keep what you observed separate from what you infer.
Change one factor and measure the response.
Remember: Change one factor in a fair comparison while keeping other relevant conditions consistent.
Cell structures work together to keep organisms alive.
Remember: This diagram is a simplified animal cell, not a picture to scale.
Matter cycles while energy changes form.
Remember: Plants do both: photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Use a simple model to predict possible offspring.
Remember: Many traits involve multiple genes and the environment. This is a simplified model.
Energy flows through food webs; matter is recycled.
Remember: Energy does not cycle like matter. It eventually spreads to the environment as heat.
Atoms are building blocks, and bonds connect atoms.
Remember: Particle drawings are models. Colors and sizes help explain ideas; atoms are not colored balls.
Ask whether new substances formed.
Remember: Reversible versus irreversible is not a reliable test. Look for evidence of new substances.
Chemical reactions rearrange atoms rather than erase them.
Remember: Balance equations with coefficients. Do not change chemical subscripts.
Net heat transfer goes from warmer to cooler.
Remember: Identify how the energy moves, not just which object feels warm.
A force is a push or pull; direction matters.
Remember: Balanced forces do not necessarily mean an object is stopped.
Rigid lithospheric plates move over the softer mantle.
Remember: The mantle is not a worldwide ocean of liquid magma.
Share an idea. Give others a way into the discussion.
Remember: Choose a starter, add your idea, and invite a response.
Help others follow how you reached your idea.
Remember: Explain the why, not just the answer.
Connect what you say to what you can point to.
Remember: Use accurate quotes, specific details, and relevant data.
Connect your contribution to what someone else said.
Remember: Name the idea you are building on, then add something new.
Challenge the idea while showing respect for the person.
Remember: Focus on the reasoning and evidence. Keep your tone respectful.
Ask a question that helps you understand more clearly.
Remember: Listen to the response before adding your next idea.
Look for connections, differences, and assumptions.
Remember: Compare ideas fairly before deciding what you think.
Invite participation and leave time for people to think.
Remember: You can contribute by speaking, listening, asking, or writing.
Use discussion to make a plan and move forward.
Remember: Agree on the next step and check that everyone understands.
Describe the strategy, connect representations, and check.
Remember: Use math vocabulary, models, and units to make your thinking clear.
Use observations and scientific ideas to explain.
Remember: Separate observations from inferences and support your explanation.
Notice how the discussion has changed your thinking.
Remember: You can revise your idea or explain why you still support it.
Start with a clear goal and the tools you need.
Remember: You do not have to know everything to begin.
Know the task before you rush into the work.
Remember: Ask yourself: “What should my finished work show?”
Use a strategy, notice what changes, and ask for help.
Remember: You can ask for help at any point. You do not have to stay stuck.
Plan the work. Monitor your progress. Adjust.
Remember: Focus on the next useful action, not the whole mountain.
Check that your work communicates what you know.
Remember: Complete means the required thinking is visible.
Tell someone what you need and where you are stuck.
Remember: Ask for an explanation or a next step, then try it yourself.
Find the error, understand it, and try again.
Remember: Revising the answer matters. Understanding the change matters too.
Turn a comment into a clear revision.
Remember: “Add detail” becomes: “Which detail would explain my idea?”
Share the thinking, the work, and the responsibility.
Remember: Rotate roles when useful. Everyone contributes ideas and effort.
Think before, during, and after you read.
Remember: Explain what the text means, not just what words it contains.
Capture ideas. Make connections. Check your learning.
Remember: Ask: “Could I explain this idea without looking?”
Investigate the source, the evidence, and the context.
Remember: A polished page or a familiar-looking web address is not proof.
Use technology with care for yourself and others.
Remember: If you are unsure, pause and ask before sharing.
Follow your teacher’s directions and protect your learning.
Remember: Only submit work you understand and can explain.
Choose a small action that helps you rejoin the learning.
Remember: You can restart without having the whole task figured out.
Review, reflect, and follow the plan for what comes next.
Remember: Finished early? Keep the focus on learning.
Try a shorter phrase or a word like “fraction,” “evidence,” “help,” or “energy.”