This document describes the write-around strategy where students engage in written conversations about texts. It provides examples of how teachers have implemented write-arounds in their middle school and high school language arts, biology, and chemistry classes. The examples illustrate how write-arounds can promote deep engagement, participation from all students, and the social construction of meaning. Photos further demonstrate how teachers have used this strategy.

1. Original photograph by Buffy Hamilton
Presented by Buffy J. Hamilton, Ed.S.
June 2014, Ojai, CA

2. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

3. CC image via https://www.flickr.com/photos/inkybob/122476158/sizes/o/

4. Original photograph by Buffy Hamilton

5. Original photos by Buffy Hamilton

7. Scaffold with
mini-memos,
short student
letters that
teachers use
to introduce,
extend, and
assess class
work.
Progress to
dialogue
journals, where
pairs dive deeply
into academic
subjects.
Build to groups
of three or four
students join in
extended written
discussions
called write-
arounds.
Move to online
discussion
spaces online,
where they
enjoy digital
discussions with
peers and other
learners around
the world.
Original photo by Buffy Hamilton
Source: http://www.corwin.com/books/Book239764#tabview=title
Daniels Recommends…

8. A strategy in which “Small groups of
kids write and exchange notes about a
curricular topic for several rounds—
maybe 5 to 15 minutes of sustained
writing–and then they burst into out-
loud talk that’s rooted in their extended
written rehearsals” (Daniels 155).

9. “what happens when you have several
kids annotate the same copy of a text at
the same time, jotting down their
responses in the margins. Quite naturally,
students start reading other people’s
comments and want to give their
classmates a written high five, ask a
clarifying question, or throw down a
tough challenge” (Daniels 184).

10. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

11. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

12. Student
Selected
Text/Passages
Teacher
Selected
Text/Passages
Questions
Images/
Graphics
Multimedia

13. Introduce
guidelines
for
participation
Writing/
Thinking
Time
Small/Large
Group
Discussion
and
Assessment

14. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

15. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

16. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

17. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

18. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

19. Benefits
• Can be used across all
content areas and age
groups
• Can use multiple kinds
of “texts”
• Fantastic springboard
for inquiry and helping
students develop
questions

20. Image used with permission of Dr. Barbara Stripling; learn more at
http://www.schoollibrarymonthly.com/articles/Berger2010-v26n5p14.html

21. Original photograph by Buffy Hamilton
Darrell Cicchetti
Effort 1: 10th Language Arts

22. http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/201
3/12/20/first-efforts-at-written-conversations-
strategies-write-around-text-on-text/
http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/first-efforts-at-written-
conversations-strategies-write-around-text-on-text/

23. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton

24. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton

29. 
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33. RikersHighGroup1 Diana G
Coco D.
David R.

34. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton

36. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton

37. The Write Around Text on Text activity
afforded my CP students an opportunity
to engage course material (and each
other) on a much deeper level than they
had experienced during previous class
discussions. The beauty of this activity is
that it challenges students to think in all
classes-- from IB to CP-- and consistently
produces high-level, rewarding results.
Darrell Cicchetti
CC graphics via http://thenounproject.com/term/quotation-marks/19279/

38. Original photograph by Buffy Hamilton
Emily Russell
Effort 2: 10th Language Arts

39. http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/writing-around-text-on-text-
effort-2-unplugged-conversations-for-inquiry-participation-and-social-construction-of-
meanings/

40. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton

41. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton

42. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton

43. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton

44. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton

45. • Because of prior scaffolding
(silent literature circles with
notecards) by Emily, they felt
more comfortable engaging in
written conversation
• Made up their own rules---
moved beyond their original
table
• Could manage soft conversation
while staying focused
• Long sustained chunks of
writing (20 or so minutes)
• More specific responses to text
and to each other

46. Video

47. we should be
more
10th grade student

48. They enjoyed and appreciated hearing many student
voices, something that sometimes gets silenced in
traditional class discussions.
They liked being able to see different perspectives on their book;
several remarked how the written conversations helped them see
something they had not noticed about the book. Others commented
their perspective on a character or issue in the text had changed after
reading the opinions and responses of their peers.
They were beginning to understand learning is social and
how meaning can be constructed together.

49. • Students liked the freedom in being able to
move about and respond at their own pace
during the write-around.
Mobility
• Students were focused on ideas, not grammar
or spelling.
Big Ideas
• Everyone had opportunities to contribute to
the discussion.
Participation

50. critical
thinking

51. http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/twitter-chat-socratic-circles/

52. http://www.ellenfilgo.net/hashtag-librarian/

53. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

54. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

55. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

56. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

57. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

58. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

60. https://storify.com/buffyjhamilton/2nd-period-glass-castle-socratic-circle-twitter-
ch?utm_source=embed_header

61. “Grows” “Glows”

62. Once again, I left school with a
teacher high. Giving the outer circle
an opportunity to Tweet while the inner
circle was discussing gave everyone a
voice in the conversation. Every single
student was completely engaged the
entire period. What an amazing day!
Emily Russell
CC graphics via http://thenounproject.com/term/quotation-marks/19279/

63. I cannot say enough good things about
our media specialists. They have been
instrumental in supporting our teachers
this year, and they have pushed me to try
strategies that may be outside of my
comfort zone.
Emily Russell
CC graphics via http://thenounproject.com/term/quotation-marks/19279/

64. Original photograph by Buffy Hamilton
Logan MalmEffort 3: 9th Accelerated Biology/ Chemistry

65. http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/informational-text-write-
around-text-on-text-with-biologychemistry-classes/

66. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton Original photograph by Buffy Hamilton

67. Original photo by Buffy Hamilton

68. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

69. Original photography by Buffy Hamilton

71. Each class wrote
approximately 30-33
minutes; some could
have continued writing
had we not called time!
Take
Away

72. Most of the written conversations were
rich and nuanced just as the literary
conversations had been. Although the
content was more academic and
subject specific in nature, the written
discussions still felt very
conversational. We also noticed
students using more
visuals/graphics/drawings as part of
these conversations.
Take
Away

73. The trajectory of energy and
momentum to the conversations
paralleled those of Emily’s
classes—it is akin to a crescendo
in music where the sound builds
in loudness and intensity. We saw
the written conversations
building in those same way
Take
Away

74. Like Emily’s classes,
students enjoyed using
hashtags as part of their
written conversations. I
think #maggot was one of
the more popular hashtags
of the day
Take
Away

75. CC graphics via http://thenounproject.com/term/quotation-marks/19279/
Impressions – LOVED this activity. It was really special
watching the students write about scientific topics and
develop questions based on their thoughts and the
thoughts of other students. I enjoyed seeing them
question the validity of certain claims, argue in favor
of/against scientific ideas using their prior knowledge
and create questions that they had after reading each
article.This activity gave me a chance to see my students
in a way that I have yet to observe.They had an
opportunity to act like true scientists, and didn’t even
know it! Overall, this was a wonderful activity that I will be
doing again!
Logan Malm

76. http://sarahludwig.wordpress.com/2014/02/20/butcher-paper-post-it-notes-and-
sharpies-changed-my-life/

77. CC image via https://www.flickr.com/photos/f-
oxymoron/9647972522/sizes/l

78. CC image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/zhou_mengjie/6523964087/sizes/l/

79. contact information