why test

One reason I did these tests is so I can use the info to ask for accelerated classes for Z. Now I can say that she is "at least 4th grade level" and that might mean something to the people in charge.

I haven't figured out how to test her for history or science, which I think would fall somewhere between math and reading comprehension depending on the topic.

For history and science we follow her interests and not the state standards so the things she has learned might not be on grade level tests. Although we covered a lot of topics we didn't do the "mile wide inch deep" type curriculum taught here in CA.

For science she studied human anatomy, global warming, nutrition, environmental protection, rocks and minerals, forensics, microbiology and space flight (at astronaut class). Her science class did extreme weather, poisonous snakes and spiders, swallows, dinosaurs, terrariums, states of matter, the solar system, planting bean seeds, and marine biology. She also did many brainpop movies.

For history we are following more of a Well Trained Mind path and starting with ancients and moving forward from there. If I tried to test her I think 3rd or 4th grade is supposed to spend the whole year on CA state history. But unless we do it concurrently we aren't going to get to that for awhile. But I don't think the CA state elementary tests ask about the fall of Rome, Egyptian burial techniques, human evolution , Greek mythology and Homer, the Black Death, the barbarian hordes, the Vikiing judicial system, or ask for the name of the knight that sits at the Seige Perilous. *grin*

On my own I would place her between 5th - 7th grade for science and history with lots of gaps and lots of indepth knowledge. But it is easier to test her in math and language arts and then be conservative and use that grade level when need be.