Part of helping students learn to read critically and with comprehension is guiding them to use writing to help think through the content and clarify what they understand--or don't. Looking at students' writing also helps teachers see how much learners are really understanding in their reading and where exactly any learner is struggling. After all, writing, the authors argue, is the "great revealer": It forces every student to communicate what he or she believes and, in so doing, to think it through. The authors show a sample lesson in which a teacher directs students to consider how figurative language is used to convey mood and meaning in particular song lyrics. They show how having students briefly write their thoughts on word choice in these lyrics before class discussion (as the teacher gives feedback in the moment) helps student break through to deeper understanding.