Also, for a bright kid, reading at 6th grade level in 3rd grade isn't uncommon at all. When we had DS16 tested in 4th grade he tested out reading at the college level--the kid that NEVER opened a book, never read anything but the cereal box--including his homework --see my post above
That's my kids.....my middle child (dd) is quite bright, get's the best grades in the family, is a hard worker, was on Academic Decathlon Team, but is not gifted. Standardized test scores on the high school entrance exam at 97%-98%, and automatic entrance into honors program (most students must take challenge exams at catholic HS). Probably an above average IQ (well, most definitely) but not gifted.
Younger ds, on the other hand, IS maybe gifted (he attends private school, as do all my kids, so no gifted program) But, this is the kid in K who figured out (after he easily learned counting by 2's, 3's etc), that you could add numbers alot faster if you said "3 four times" (meaning multiplying the numbers). He likes to figure out things ("Mom, what if on Omaha Beach on D-Day the Americans,,,blah blah blah.....) Standardized scores at 99%. But, he has a harder time making friends, and I spend alot of time keeping him away from video games and computers.
Just to round things out, I also have an "average" son.......has a B average at competitive Catholic HS....good effort, but just lacks that really good reasoning the other two have.
Julia