Lesson 10
Part 1: Introduction
CCLS
Using Details to Support Inferences
in Literary Texts
RL.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when
explaining what the text says explicitly and
when drawing inferences from the text.
Theme: Round Table Legends
You make inferences every day. For example, suppose you tell a joke to your family. They
look at you in confusion and shrug their shoulders. You make an inference, or “educated
guess,” that they didn’t get the joke. To make this inference, you used clues or details, such
as the look of confusion and shrugged shoulders. You also used your background
knowledge—knowing that some people don’t have the same sense of humor that you do.
What’s going on in the minds of the characters in this cartoon? Draw arrows pointing
to anything that helps you decide what they’re thinking about the man’s new recipe.
What’s
cooking?
It’s a new recipe.
Tell me what
you think!
Use the chart below to help you make an inference about how the new recipe tastes.
Details from Cartoon
• The man is cooking.
• The man offers a sample.
• After trying the food, the
+
What You Know
=
Inference
• F aces show emotions.
• The woman’s face suggests
woman • The man’s face suggests
.
.
The new recipe tastes
.
.
Always support your inferences with details from the text. Authors might not always tell
you everything, but they usually tell you enough so you can figure out what’s going on.
L10: Using Details to Support Inferences in Literary Texts
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Part 2: Modeled Instruction
Lesson 10
Read the start of a story about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Genre: Legend
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Chris Bartlett
The mysterious Green Knight issued a challenge to the Knights of the Round Table. He would
grant any knight a single stroke with his green axe against his neck if that knight would return
the favor in one year.
King Arthur accepted, but Sir Gawain, protecting his king, offered to take his place. And with
a mighty swing, Sir Gawain sliced off the Green Knight’s head.
But the Green Knight, still very much alive, stood and picked up his own head. He reminded
Sir Gawain that they had an appointment in one year, and he rode quickly away on his horse.
(continued)
Explore how to answer this question: “Why is Sir Gawain so quick to protect King Arthur?”
The author doesn’t say why Sir Gawain is protecting the king. You have to make a guess based on
text evidence and your prior knowledge.
Study the chart below. Based on the details from the story and what you know, why do you think
Sir Gawain protects Arthur? Complete the third column with your inference.
Details from Story
+
What I Know
=
Inference
• The Green Knight is described • Axes are dangerous.
as “mysterious.”
• A person could not survive if
• The Green Knight’s “challenge”
his or her head were really
is strange.
chopped off.
Based on details from the text and what you know, you can infer that Sir Gawain probably fears that
something bad will happen to King Arthur if he accepts the Green Knight’s challenge. This is most
likely why Sir Gawain takes King Arthur’s place.
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L10: Using Details to Support Inferences in Literary Texts
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Part 3: Guided Instruction
Lesson 10
Continue reading about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Use the
Close Reading and the Hint to help you answer the question.
Genre: Text
Close Reading
Finding details about
characters’ traits and
actions can help you
make inferences.
Underline phrases that
show what Sir Gawain is
like and how he acts.
(continued from page 94)
One year later, as he had promised, honorable Sir Gawain met
the Green Knight. Sir Gawain bent to receive the blow from the
axe. At the stroke of the axe, Gawain flinched.
“Are you afraid?” asked the Green Knight.
“Get on with the business,” Sir Gawain snapped. Again, the
Green Knight raised his axe. He took aim and swung, but
Sir Gawain was unharmed.
Surely that will not be the end of it, Sir Gawain thought, as he
readied himself again. But the Green Knight presented Gawain
with his great axe, bowed low to the ground in respect, and
rode away.
Hint
What about Sir Gawain is
worthy of respect?
Circle the correct answer.
Which detail from the story best helps you understand why the Green
Knight shows Sir Gawain respect?
A “At the stroke of the axe, Gawain flinched.”
B “Again, the Green Knight raised his axe.”
C “. . . as he had promised, honorable Sir Gawain met the Green
Knight.”
D “But the Green Knight presented Sir Gawain with his great axe . . .
and rode away.”
Show Your Thinking
Look at the answer you chose above. What information from the passage makes you feel certain
that it’s the correct answer?
The reader doesn’t know much about the Green Knight. With a partner, discuss how this story
would be different if it had been told by the Green Knight.
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Part 4: Guided Practice
Lesson 10
Read the passage. Use the Study Buddy and the Close Reading to guide your reading.
Genre: Legend
Galahad and the Grail Quest by Allison Chambers
The story says that only
“the most worthy
knight ” can sit in the
Siege Perilous and live.
I’ll underline evidence
that suggests Galahad is
the “most worthy
knight.”
1
At the Round Table of Camelot, 150 knights could sit so that
no knight outranked another by his place at the table. But one
seat always remained empty. This was the Siege Perilous, or
“the perilous seat.” It was said that the Siege Perilous had been
reserved by God himself for the most worthy knight of the
kingdom. A lesser man could not sit in the seat and live.
2
The day arrived when young Galahad came to Camelot. He
was the son of trusted Sir Lancelot, and he made ready to sit
next to his father. But the only seat nearby was the Siege
Perilous, which was covered by a cloth. When the knights
lifted the cloth, they were shocked to see these words
appearing on the seat: “This is the seat of Galahad, the prince.”
So Galahad sat in the Siege Perilous, and no terrors befell him.
It was proven to all that Galahad must join two other knights
in the risky quest for the Holy Grail, a legendary chalice with
magical powers.
3
The other knights searched together, but Galahad rode
mainly alone. He fought battles along the way to defend the
defenseless, while also using his skills to heal the sick.
Galahad was the only knight worthy of fully witnessing the
Holy Grail. After his quest, he journeyed to the city of Sarras.
The people of Sarras, after hearing of Galahad’s many feats,
were eager to proclaim him king.
Close Reading
The Siege Perilous plays
an important role in the
story. Circle details that
relate to this role.
What do the people of
Sarras admire about
Galahad? Underline
details that show why
they want Galahad to be
their king.
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L10: Using Details to Support Inferences in Literary Texts
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Part 4: Guided Practice
Hint
Lesson 10
Use the Hints on this page to help you answer the questions.
Look back at the passage
to see how the knights
knew they would have
to include Galahad in
their quest.
1 Which sentence from the passage best supports the idea that
Galahad was “the most worthy knight” in the kingdom?
A “This was the Siege Perilous, or ‘the perilous seat.’”
B “The day arrived when young Galahad came to Camelot.”
C “So Galahad sat in the Siege Perilous, and no terrors befell him.”
D “The other knights searched together, but Galahad rode
mainly alone.”
What good deeds did
Galahad accomplish
while searching for the
Holy Grail?
2 Which sentence from the passage best explains why the people of
Sarras were eager to proclaim Galahad their king?
A “He was the son of trusted Sir Lancelot. . . .”
B “It was proven to all that Galahad must join two other knights in
the risky quest for the Holy Grail. . . .”
C “The other knights searched together, but Galahad rode
mainly alone.”
D “He fought battles along the way to defend the defenseless,
while also using his skills to heal the sick.”
What special qualities
did Galahad possess?
3 Explain why Galahad was the only knight worthy of fully witnessing
the Holy Grail. Support your inference with two details from the
passage.
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Part 5: Common Core Practice
Lesson 10
Read the story. Then answer the questions that follow.
from “Arthur and the Sword”
by Sara Cone Bryant
  1 Once there was a great king in Britain named Uther, and when he died the other kings and
princes disputed over the kingdom, each wanting it for himself. . . .
  2 When the kings and princes could not be kept in check any longer, and something had to be
done to determine who was to be king, Merlin made the Archbishop of Canterbury send for all of
them to come to London. It was Christmas time, and in the great cathedral a solemn service was held,
and prayer was made that some sign should be given to show who was the rightful king. When the
service was over, there appeared a strange stone in the churchyard, against the high altar. It was a
great white stone, like marble, with something sunk in it that looked like a steel anvil; and in the anvil
was driven a great glistening sword. The sword had letters of gold written on it, which read: “Whoso
pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is rightwise king born of all England.” . . .
  3 Many of the knights tried to pull the sword from the stone, hoping to be king. But no one
could move it a hair’s breadth. . . .
  4 Then they set a guard of ten knights to keep the stone, and the archbishop appointed a day
when all should come together to try at the stone—kings from far and near. In the meantime,
splendid jousts were held outside London, and both knights and commons were bidden.
  5 Sir Ector came up to the jousts, with others, and with him rode Kay and Arthur. Kay had
been made a knight at Allhallowmas1, and when he found there was to be so fine a joust he wanted a
sword to join it. But he had left his sword behind where his father and he had slept the night before.
So he asked young Arthur to ride for it.
  6 “I will well,” said Arthur, and rode back for it. But when he came to the castle, the lady and
all her household were at the jousting, and there was none to let him in.
  7 Arthur said to himself, “My brother Sir Kay shall not be without a sword this
day.” And he remembered the sword he had seen in the churchyard. “I will ride to
the churchyard,” he said, “and take that sword with me.” So he rode into the
churchyard, tied his horse to the stile, and went up to the stone. The guards
were away to the tourney, and the sword was there, alone.
  8 Going up to the stone, young Arthur took the great sword by the
hilt, and lightly and fiercely he drew it out of the anvil.
  9
1
Then he rode straight to Sir Kay and gave it to him.
Allhallowmas: All Saints Day, November 1
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Part 5: Common Core Practice
Lesson 10
10 Sir Kay knew instantly that it was the sword of the stone, and he rode off at once to his father
and said, “Sir, lo, here is the sword of the stone; I must be king of the land.” But Sir Ector asked him
where he got the sword. And when Sir Kay said, “From my brother,” he asked Arthur how he got it.
When Arthur told him, Sir Ector bowed his head before him. “Now I understand ye must be king of
this land,” he said to Arthur.
11
“Wherefore I?” said Arthur.
12 “For God will have it so,” said Ector; “Never man should have drawn out this sword but he
that shall be rightwise king of this land. Now let me see whether ye can put the sword as it was in the
stone, and pull it out again.”
13
Straightway Arthur put the sword back.
14 Then Sir Ector tried to pull it out, and after him Sir Kay; but neither could stir it. Then Arthur
pulled it out. Thereupon, Sir Ector and Sir Kay kneeled upon the ground before him. . . .
15
So Arthur became king of Britain, and all gave him allegiance.
Answer Form
1 Which choice best supports the inference that Merlin
was an important figure in the kingdom?
1 A B C D
2 A B C D
3 A B C D
Number
Correct
3
A Merlin holds a prayer service for all the kings and
princes at Canterbury.
B Merlin sends the Archbishop of Canterbury to call kings and princes together.
C Merlin puts the sword into the stone as a test to see who is the rightful king.
D Merlin gets to decide who will be crowned as the new king.
2 Which choice best supports the inference that Arthur became king by accident?
A Arthur was chosen as one of the ten knights to guard the sword in the stone.
B Arthur took the sword without getting permission from anyone.
C Arthur, Sir Ector, and Sir Kay were unaware there would be a joust.
D Arthur pulled the sword from the stone thinking it was one Sir Kay could use.
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Part 5: Common Core Practice
Lesson 10
3 What evidence from the passage best supports the inference that a new king was
needed to replace Uther?
A ”other kings and princes disputed over the kingdom, each wanting it for himself”
B ”prayer was made that some sign should be given to show who was the
rightful king”
C “the archbishop appointed a day when all should come together to try at the
stone—kings from far and near”
D “Arthur became king of Britain, and all gave him allegiance”
4 In this story, Sir Kay can be described as a young knight with little experience. Write
a paragraph supporting the claim that Sir Kay has little experience. Use at least two
details from the story to support your answer.
Self Check Go back and see what you can check off on the Self Check on page 51.
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