PARCC Literary Analysis Task
Grade 8 Reading
Lesson 2: Modeling the EBSR and TECR
Rationale
Given the extreme difference in the testing layout and interface between NJ ASK
and PARCC, students should be guided through PARCC’s sample items on their
website. This will also give the teacher an opportunity to model the approach and
thought processes students should replicate to complete the Literary Analysis
Task.
Goal
In modeling the process for completing the Literary Analysis Task EBSR and TECR,
students will have a clear picture of what to expect on the assessment.
Task Foci
CCSS RL.8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS RL.8.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an
objective summary of the text.
CCSS RL.8.3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel
the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
CCSS RL.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and
tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
Objectives
Students will be familiar with the format of the PARCC Literary Analysis Task EBSR
and TECR.
Students will observe the process for completing the questions through teacher modeling.
Materials
Computer and Projector (for instructor to model activities)
PARCC’s online test environment: http://practice.parcc.testnav.com/#
o Note: PARCC updates their sample item sets occasionally. References to the site
in this lesson are based upon the April 2014 version.
Computers (optional) (one per student or student pairs)
Sample Markup (for instructor)
Sample text and questions handout (per student)
LAT Reading Lesson 2: Modeling the EBSR and TECR
© 2014 Standards Solution, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 1
Preparation
Take some time to navigate through PARCC’s test environment on your own to get
comfortable with it before you show your students.
Before class begins, navigate to the LAT portion for your grade level in PARCC’s online
test environment.
Procedures
To begin the lesson, explain to students that today they will view the EBSR and TECR
in its intended environment. If students have access to computers, guide them to the
testing area on PARCC’s website.
Show students the features of the test interface.
o A purpose-setting statement and the texts are on the left side of the page. One full
question (Parts A & B) takes up the right side of the page.
o You can navigate through the questions with the arrows on the top of the page.
o There is a tool bar at the top of the writing space with basic word processing
functions (bold, underline, copy, paste, undo, etc.)
Ask students for their opinions, observations, and questions about the interface.
Next, distribute the sample text and questions to each student.
Using the markup, guide students through the questions. The handout highlights relevant
details and gives explanations. This is just a sample. Feel free to address any other
details that stick out to you.
In closing, address any questions students have.
LAT Reading Lesson 2: Modeling the EBSR and TECR
© 2014 Standards Solution, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 2
Read the poem “Tell all the Truth but Tell it Slant” by Emily Dickinson.
Tell All the Truth, but Tell It Slant—
By Emily Dickinson
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant—
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise
5
As Lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind—
1. Part A Question: What does the word circuit mean in line 2?
a.
b.
c.
d.
electrical connection
wandering path
tight circle
celebrity tour
Part B Question: Which word from the poem best helps the reader understand the
meaning of circuit?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Success
surprise
Lightning
gradually
2. Part A Question: Which of the following sentences best states the central idea of
the poem?
a. The truth can be difficult to understand.
b. The truth can be too intense for our minds.
c. The truth can be dangerous and used as a weapon.
d. The truth can be very rare and must be preserved.
Part B
Question: Select three phrases from the poem that support the answer to Part A.
a. "but tell it slant”
b. "Success in Circuit lies"
c. "Too bright for our infirm Delight"
d. "The Truth’s superb surprise”
e. "As Lightning to the Children"
f. "eased/With explanation kind"
g. "Truth must dazzle gradually"
h. "Or every man be blind—"
3. Part A Question: What is the relationship of the second stanza to the first stanza?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The first stanza explains the second stanza.
The second stanza compares two ideas in the first stanza.
The first stanza describes adults and the second describes children.
The second stanza provides an analogy for an idea in the first stanza.
Part B Question: Which line from the second stanza provides the best support for
the answer in Part A?
a.
b.
c.
d.
“As Lightning to the Children eased.”
“with explanation kind”
“The Truth must dazzle gradually”
“Or every man be blind—”
Markup for Step-Through
1. Part A Question: What does the word circuit mean in line 2?
a. electrical connection
b. wandering path
c. tight circle
d. celebrity tour

This is a very difficult word to untangle, but it is key to the poem’s meaning.
2 Success in Circuit lies


Point out that there is not enough context to extract meaning from this line.
Have students return not just to the line named, but to the whole poem.
Have them underline keywords that give clues about the meaning.
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant—
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise



Students may already know the two meanings a (electrical connection) and d
(celebrity tour) from common parlance. Have students consider if either of
these meanings is likely based on the given context. (Probably not, so you can
cross them both off.)
That leaves just b and c. Students will have to decide if Dickinson is suggesting
that it is more successful to tell the truth in a “wandering path” or in a “tight
circle.”
Based on the language in the poem, “slant” would suggest a non-direct route for
the truth. In lines 3-4, the characterization of the truth as “too bright” also
suggests a non-direct route. Based on this logic and these clues, b “wandering
path” makes the best sense.
Part B Question: Which word from the poem best helps the reader understand the
meaning of circuit?
a. Success
b. surprise
c. Lightning
d. gradually

None of these words are those that we underlined already, but we must
decide which best supports the meaning we found in Part A.
 a. Success Although this word is closest to the word “circuit,” it is an
ambiguous meaning. What does success mean in telling the truth?
Success can only be understood after we understand the meaning of
circuit.
 b. surprise Surprise does not give much support to the meaning of
circuit. A surprise can be direct, as in a surprise gift, or it can be long
and wandering, as in the planning of a surprise party. Still, it doesn’t
help with understanding circuit.
 c. Lightning Lightning refers more to the truth and less to the way to
tell it. This is an opposite way of telling the truth. It does provide
some context, and seems almost right.
 d. gradually This is the best answer because it relates to a wandering
path or a slow and gradual way of getting somewhere.
2. Part A Question: Which of the following sentences best states the central idea of
the poem?
a. The truth can be difficult to understand.
b. The truth can be too intense for our minds.
c. The truth can be dangerous and used as a weapon.
d. The truth can be very rare and must be preserved.



This question might look slightly tricky to students because of
the check boxes. However, PARCC items may have check boxes
even if only one item is to be selected.
Talk to students about the central idea – what do they think
this poem is mostly about? (This may not generate much
because this is a particularly difficult poem.)
Take each item singly
What is the main idea of this poem?
a. The truth can be difficult to understand. This is an almost right answer.
Dickinson says that the truth can “blind” and that our “delight” is “too
infirm” to handle it. This is different from being incomprehensible.
When we are blinded by something, sometimes we understand it too
much!
b. The truth can be too intense for our minds. This is a good answer. Blinding is
intense, and Dickinson explicitly states that “the truth must dazzle
gradually…”
c. The truth can be dangerous and used as a weapon. There is no support that
the truth is dangerous. It can be surprising and can “blind” you – but
the idea is that this blinding is only temporary – it is not a permanent
condition.
d. The truth can be very rare and must be preserved. There is no support at all
for this idea – Dickinson says nothing about there not being enough
truth.


Based on this, the correct answer is B.
Note that on this test, just as in this question, students will often
come up against an “almost right” answer. This is a clue that this is
the wrong answer because there is a “fully right” answer in there
somewhere.
Part B
Question: Select three phrases from the poem that support the answer to Part A.
a. "but tell it slant”
b. "Success in Circuit lies"
c. "Too bright for our infirm Delight"
d. "The Truth’s superb surprise”
e. "As Lightning to the Children"
f. "eased/With explanation kind"
g. "Truth must dazzle gradually"
h. "Or every man be blind—"

At this point, we know that the central idea is that the truth can
be intense. Look for items that have this idea in them.
a. "but tell it slant”
b. "Success in Circuit lies"
c. "Too bright for our infirm Delight" (the brightness is overwhelming and shows
how intense the truth can be)
d. "The Truth’s superb surprise”
e. "As Lightning to the Children" (a comparison to lightning shows the intensity
of the truth.)
f. "eased/With explanation kind"
g. "Truth must dazzle gradually"
h. "Or every man be blind—" (the suggestion that the truth can blind shows it
is intense)
3. Part A Question: What is the relationship of the second stanza to the first stanza?
a. The first stanza explains the second stanza.
b. The second stanza compares two ideas in the first stanza.
c. The first stanza describes adults and the second describes children.
d. The second stanza provides an analogy for an idea in the first stanza.


In this question, students will need consider Dickinson’s
organization of the poem. This is also a new type of task and a
challenge for middle schoolers.
First have students look at each stanza and describe its purpose.
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant—
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise
5
As Lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind—

This is telling a way to tell the truth so
that it doesn’t hurt anyone.
This compares telling the truth gradually to
the way you speak to children about lightning –
showing that you want people not to be afraid.
Once students have figured out the purpose of each paragraph,
have them look at the answer choices to see which ones match
best.
o a. The first stanza explains the second stanza. This is not quite
right. The second stanza is acting in support of the first
stanza.

o b. The second stanza compares two ideas in the first stanza.
There is only one main idea in the first stanza, so this is
not quite right.
o c. The first stanza describes adults and the second describes
children. This is not quite right either – the first stanza
can describe anyone.
o d. The second stanza provides an analogy for an idea in the first
stanza. This is just what we figured out from our analysis:
the second stanza contains a comparison (like an analogy)
of the idea of the intensity of the truth to lightning.
Based on this, the correct answer is D.
Part B Question: Which line from the second stanza provides the best support for
the answer in Part A?
a. “As Lightning to the Children eased.”
b. “with explanation kind”
c. “The Truth must dazzle gradually”
d. “Or every man be blind—”
Since we determined that the second stanza was an analogy, the first
line that shows the relationship between the first and second stanza
is our best support – the answer is A.