In sixth grade we had a "reading" period. Think reading/comprehension, as opposed to an english/writing class. IIRC students were handed reading assignments they had to finish as homework, and then had some sort of analysis or discussion or project later in class. We did Greek myths in that class.

In seventh grade english, we read out of a collection of excerpts and short stories. We may or may not have read a really sad story about an Earth girl on Venus, and The Ransom of Red Chief that year. (It's been a while, so the details are hazy.)