Guided Reading Level N - Nanjing (with Lesson Plan)

Book Snapshot
• Title: World Cities: Nanjing
• Genre: Nonfiction (informational text)
• Subject: Social Studies (Geography)
• Primary Topic: Nanjing’s rivers, landmarks, and seasonal changes
• Estimated Guided Reading Level (A–Z): N

What This Book Teaches Best
• How Nanjing’s location along the Yangtze River helped it become a travel and trade hub.
• How a major river can divide a city and lead to bridges being built to connect districts.
• How landforms and green spaces (like Purple Mountain’s forests) can help keep a city’s air clean and support plant life.
• How human-built features (the ancient city wall) can follow natural geography like hills and lakes.
• How climate and seasons change a city’s landscape through spring blossoms, autumn leaf color, and summer shade from “green tunnels.”

Learning Goals
• Students will describe where Nanjing is located and what major river it sits along.
• Students will explain why bridges were built across the Yangtze River in Nanjing.
• Students will identify Purple Mountain and explain how its forests help the city.
• Students will describe how Nanjing’s ancient city wall follows the natural geography of the land.
• Students will describe one role Xuanwu Lake plays (islands/bridges or collecting rainwater).
• Students will describe how Nanjing’s humid subtropical climate connects to changes across seasons.

Key Vocabulary From the Text
• districts — parts of a city.
• subtropical — warm climate, often with lots of humidity.
• transformation — a big change.
• fertile — good for plants to grow.
• geography — land features of a place.

Discussion Prompts
• Pre-reading question: How might rivers and hills help a city grow and change?
• Comprehension questions: Where does the text say Nanjing is located, and what river runs through it?
• Comprehension questions: Why were massive bridges built across the Yangtze River in Nanjing?
• Comprehension questions: What change does the text describe happening in Nanjing during autumn?

Printing Tips

1. Best Printing Method (Recommended)
   “Booklet” Printing (Best if Available)
   If your printer or PDF viewer supports Booklet Printing, use this.
   Settings to use:
   • Print mode: Booklet
   • Paper size: Letter or A4 (either works)
   • Orientation: Landscape
   • Print on both sides: Yes
   • Flip on: Short edge
   • Scaling: Fit to printable area
   • Booklet subset:
   o First test: Front sides only
   o Then: Back sides only
   This will automatically:
   • Pair pages correctly
   • Put the cover on the outside
   • Align everything for folding
   After printing, fold in half and staple along the spine.