Oh Crain,
My DS13 went through the 'labled kid' thing as a 1st, and 2nd grader. He had a great year in 3rd. In 4th he learned to read a book inside his desk during the entire school day. In 5th he changed school, and then skipped when that wasn't enough.
Some boys (and I imagine a girl or two, somewhere) have a little thing called pride, they just seem born with it, and being asked to do 'baby work' day in and day out is repugnant to their sense of themselves. They are too young to understand that 99% of the time this work is appropriate and not meant as an insult. Sounds like you may have this sort of situation on your hands. So glad that the testing has started, and if it is high, they you will know something. If the testing doesn't reveal his strengths, get work that is appropriate to the next few grades up and try teaching it to him on your own afterschool, and see if he likes it or struggles with it. Sometimes the only to demonstrate a childs strengths is with 'end of the year' tests.
But let's not worry about that yet.
I don't think that the Pirate ship alone was the problem, I think he really probably is quite PO'd (put out) at being asked to just sit still all day, while the other kids struggle to learn easy stuff.
Sounds like it is time to change his location, to a different school, classroom, or grade, or homeschooling, full or partial.
Best Wishes,
Grinity
