Choosing the Right Age Level
A child's biological age does not always correlate with his "readiness" — his ability to comprehend a concept or develop a skill. Because of this, Moving Beyond the Page is not structured around grade levels — kindergarten, first grade, etc. Instead, it is structured around the recommended age levels of children using the curriculum (for example, Age 5-7, Age 6-8). Note that each age level represents one full academic year (~ 36 weeks) of curriculum.
Moving Beyond the Page is a challenging curriculum designed to stretch children. The goal of education is not that a child gets all the right answers. It is more important that he become an independent thinker, be introduced to new skills, and understand complex ideas. Being successful in this curriculum does not mean that your child will get all the "right answers" but rather that you see your child thinking and learning. A child who receives 100% on every activity is likely not being stretched. Conversely, a student who is constantly frustrated is probably working in a curriculum that is too advanced.
The following are general guidelines for choosing a curriculum level. We also have placement tests available that take between 15 and 30 minutes to complete. You are required to log in or create an account to view the placement tests.
If you have a precociously gifted child or an older child that is interested in a younger level, please see our exceptions at the bottom of the page.
Guidelines for Choosing Curriculum
Age 4-5
Language Arts Requirements
- Interested in being read to
- Able to converse about what is being read
- Able to hold a pencil
- Has a beginning interest in sounds and letters
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Age 5-7
Language Arts Requirements
- Knows letters and their sounds
- Able to write letters
- Usually used by children in first grade
Math Requirements
- Has completed the Age 4-5 level or another kindergarten program
- Recognizes and understands numbers 1-20
- Can write the numbers 1-20
- Usually used by children in first grade
Math Placement QuestionnaireLearn More
Age 6-8
Language Arts Requirements
- Able to read and comprehend simple picture books
- Able to write simple sentences independently
- Usually used by children in second grade
Math Requirements
- Knows addition and subtraction facts to 10
- Understands place value to the tens
- Can add and subtract two-digit numbers
- Usually used by children in the second grade
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Age 7-9
Language Arts Requirements
- Able to read and comprehend chapter books on a 3rd or early 4th grade reading level
- Can answer comprehension questions about a chapter in a journal
- Able to write three or four sentences on a topic
- Usually used by children in third grade
Math Requirements
- Can add and subtract three-digit numbers
- Able to interpret pictographs, bar graphs, and line plots
- Understands place value to 1000
- Usually used by children in the third grade
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Age 8-10
Language Arts Requirements
- Able to read and comprehend chapter books at a 4th or 5th grade reading level
- Able to write an organized paragraph
- Usually used by children in fourth grade
Math Requirements
- Can add and subtract four-digit numbers
- Able to multiply fluently within 100
- Can identify, create, and compare simple fractions
- Able to explain and find perimeter and area of simple polygons
- Usually used by children in the fourth grade
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Age 9-11
Language Arts Requirements
- Able to read and comprehend novels at a late 5th or 6th grade reading level
- Able to write multiple paragraphs on a topic
- Usually used by children in fifth grade
Math Requirements
- Understands place value to 1,000,000 and to .001
- Able to mulitply multi-digit numbers (526 × 62)
- Can complete long division with remainders (6213 <span style="font-family:serif;">÷</span> 4)
- Can add, subtract, multiply, and simplify fractions
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Age 10-12
Language Arts Requirements
- Able to read and comprehend novels at a late 6th or 7th grade reading level
- Able to write multiple paragraphs on a topic
- Familiar with the five-paragraph essay
- Usually used by children in the sixth grade
Math Requirements
- Able to mulitply fractions, including mixed numbers, and divide unit fractions
- Able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimal numbers to the hundredths place
- Can graph points with positive-number coordinates on a coordinate plane
- Able to find the volume of rectangular prisms
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Age 11-13
Language Arts Requirements
- Able to read and comprehend novels at a late 7th or 8th grade reading level
- Able to write multiple paragraphs on a topic
- Familiar with the five-paragraph essay
- Usually used by children in the seventh grade.
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Age 12-14
Language Arts Requirements
- Able to read and comprehend novels at an 8th or 9th grade reading level
- Able to write multiple paragraphs on a topic
- Can write a five-paragraph essay
- Usually used by children in the eighth grade
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High School 1
Language Arts Requirements
- Able to read books and texts at a high school reading level
- Experience writing a five-paragraph essay
- Usually used by students in the 9th or 10th grade
- Familiar with the conventions of poetry and short stories
- Able to understand, interpret, and apply figurative language techniques in reading and writing
- Some basic experience with creative writing
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Exceptions
- If you have a precociously gifted child, you may determine to advance them to the next age level. These are only general guidelines, and children that are precociously gifted will not fall within these general categories.
- When we select the books for our literature units, we have advanced learners in mind. For this reason, our books have a reading level that is high for the ages provided. It is very possible, for example, for a 5th or 6th grader to benefit from the literature units of the Age 8-10 level, or for a 4th or 5th grader to benefit from the Age 7-9 literature units. If the books or topics are of interest to your child, you should feel free to use them.