Eldorado
 Preparation Notes
o Preview the electronic version of the poem before sharing it with students.
o At least one Selected-Response (SR) task requires a dictionary and/or
thesaurus.
o At least one constructed-response (CR) task requires a dictionary.
o Preview any videos or texts you plan to share with students.
 Selected-Response Items
o These items target standards within the RL and L strands of the CCSS:
Item Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Reading Literature – Grade 6
CCSS Target
L.6.4a
L.6.5b
RL.6.2
L.6.4b
RL.6.3
RL.6.4
RL.6.1
RL.6.1
L.6.5c
RL.6.6
Revised 11/11/2013
 Constructed-Response Tasks
CR1 (RL.6.1)
Student prompt:
Some scholars say that "the valley of the shadow" represents death. Explain
what support there is for this idea in the poem. Use at least two details from the
poem to support your answer.
3
2
1
0
The response accurately explains the
inference and includes at least two
supporting details from the poem.
The response accurately explains the
inference and includes one supporting
detail from the poem.
The response accurately explains the
inference but does not include any
supporting details from the poem.
The response does not accurately
explain the inference.
CR2 (RL.6.2)
Student prompt:
Summarize the poem. Include at least three important details to support your
answer.
3
2
1
0
The response accurately summarizes
the poem and includes at least three
important details.
The response accurately summarizes
the poem and includes two important
details.
The response accurately summarizes
the poem and includes one important
detail.
The response does not accurately
summarize the poem.
Reading Literature – Grade 6
Revised 11/11/2013
CR3 (RL.6.5)
Student prompt:
How does the third stanza develop the theme of the poem? Use at least two
details to support your answer.
3
2
1
0
The response accurately explains how
the third stanza develops the theme of
the poem and includes at least two
supporting details from the poem.
The response accurately explains how
the third stanza develops the theme of
the poem and includes one supporting
detail from the poem.
The response accurately explains how
the third stanza develops the theme of
the poem but does not include a
supporting detail from the poem.
The response does not accurately
explain how the third stanza develops
the theme of the poem.
CR4 (RL.6.7)
Teacher instructions:
Provide a video or audio recording of a reading of "Eldorado."
Student prompt:
Compare and contrast the experience of reading the poem to hearing the poem
being read out loud. Use at least one detail from the recording of the poem and
one detail from the written poem to support your answer.
3
2
1
0
The response effectively compares the
two sources and includes at least one
supporting detail from each source.
The response effectively compares the
two sources but only includes
supporting details from one source.
The response effectively compares the
two sources but does not include any
supporting details.
The response does not effectively
compare the two sources.
Reading Literature – Grade 6
Revised 11/11/2013
CR5 (RL.6.9)
Teacher instructions:
Select an appropriate informational text with a similar theme or topic. Share it
with your students.
Student prompt:
Identify a shared theme or topic of the poem and the text. Include at least one
detail from each source to support your answer.
3
2
1
0
The response identifies a shared
theme or topic and includes at least
one supporting detail from each
source.
The response identifies a shared
theme or topic but only includes
supporting details from one source.
The response identifies a shared
theme or topic but does not include
any supporting details.
The response does not identify a
shared theme or topic.
CR6 (L.6.4c)
Student prompt:
For this question, use a dictionary or thesaurus. What are two pronunciations for
"bedight"?
1. Pronunciation 1:
2. Pronunciation 2:
2
1
0
The response includes two correct
pronunciations.
The response includes one correct
pronunciation.
The response does not include any
correct pronunciations.
Reading Literature – Grade 6
Revised 11/11/2013
CR7 (L.6.4c)
Student prompt:
For this question, use a dictionary. Read the lines below from the poem.
"Gaily bedight, / A gallant knight,"
In your own words, describe the knight at the beginning of the poem. Include at
least one dictionary definition to support your answer.
2
The response includes a description of
the knight and at least one accurate
dictionary definition for support.
The response includes a description of
the knight but does not include one
dictionary definition for support.
The response does not include any of
the required elements.
1
0
CR8 (L.6.4d)
Student prompt:
Use a dictionary. Write a definition for the word "conquistadors" and then use
"conquistadors" in a sentence.
2
1
0

Definition:

Sentence:
The response includes an accurate
definition and an appropriate
sentence.
The response includes either an
accurate definition or an appropriate
sentence.
The response does not include an
accurate definition or an appropriate
sentence.
Reading Literature – Grade 6
Revised 11/11/2013
CR9 (L.6.5a)
Student prompt:
Explain the meaning of the metaphor "And o'er his heart a shadow / Fell." Use at
least one detail from the poem to support your answer.
2
1
0
The response accurately explains the
meaning of the metaphor and includes
at least one supporting detail from the
poem.
The response accurately explains the
meaning of the metaphor but does not
include one supporting detail from the
poem.
The response does not accurately
explain the meaning of the metaphor.
 Activity/Discussion Ideas
Not available for this poem
 Other Standards
Not available for this poem
Reading Literature – Grade 6
Revised 11/11/2013