I suggest that the only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little further down our particular path than we have gone ourselves E.M. Forster

The following are links to reading selections which were chosen by the the Baltimore County Public Schools, Office of English and Reading to accompany the Grades 7-8 Reading Guide developed during the Summer 2000 Curriculum Workshop. Determining Author's Purpose | Determining Usefulness of Text | Connecting & Clarifying Personal Response

Reading for Information
	Grade 7	Determining Author's Purpose
		Blue Jeans Jeans: The Blue Jeans Story History of Trousers Have We Always Had Blue Jeans? Levi Strauss (from Invention Dimension) Bioethics Case Study: The Ecology of Stone-washed Blue Jeans
	Grade 8
		Ferris Wheels and Other Amusements George Ferris (from the Carnegie Library) George Ferris (from Rensslaer Hall of Fame) The Ferris Wheel The Ferris Wheel (from Illinois Institute of Technology) World of Coasters: Editorial Roller Coaster History: Part I Roller Coaster History: Part II Best of the Best Steel Coasters The Amusement Park Industry A Need for Danger: Engines of our Ingenuity
Reading for Information
	Grade 7	Determining Usefulness of Text
		Sports Figures : Baseball The Iron Horse's Last Game (Lou Gehrig) The Babe Calls it Quits (Babe Ruth) Biography: Babe Ruth Famous Words by the Babe Famous Words About the Babe Babe Ruth (from the Baseball Online Library) Historical Match-ups: Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron Historical Match-ups: Joe DiMaggio vs. Mickey Mantle The Greatest Game Ever Lost Jesse Owens: Biography
	Grade 8
		Sports Nutrition Hot Topics in Sports Nutrition: Zoning Out FAQ's in Sports Nutrition Quick Tips for Sports Nutrition Promotion of Healthy Weight Control Practices in Young Athletes
Reading to Perform a Task
	Grade 8	Connecting and Clarifying Main Ideas
		Kites 20 Kids * 20 Kites * 20 Minutes
	Website created by Della Curtis, Coordinator Office of Library Information Services July 2000