Academic Decathlon
Course Outline
Instructor Mark Smith
Contact Info 402.556.3772, ext. 1139
mark.smith@brownell.edu
Description and Rationale
Academic Decathlon is an elective course and state competition. This year’s topic is India. Following is
some general information on the topics in each of the subject areas.
SCIENCE: The science topic will be an introduction to ecology and will include case studies and
examples relevant to India.
LITERATURE: The literature curriculum will include critical reading, one long work of literature, and
selected shorter works. The long work of literature will be the novel Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala
Markandaya.
ART: The art curriculum will include a section on art fundamentals and will largely focus on the art and
architecture of India.
MUSIC: The music curriculum will include basic elements of music theory and will focus on the music of
India.
SOCIAL SCIENCE: The social science curriculum will cover the history of modern India.
ECONOMICS: The economics curriculum will cover fundamental economic concepts, microeconomics,
and macroeconomics and will also include a thematic section on the Indian economy.
MATHEMATICS: The mathematics curriculum will cover permutations and combinations, algebra, and
statistics.
Teaching Methods
Question-and-answer, map skills review, lecture, quiz bowl-type practice activities, group discussion, all in
preparation for the district and state competitions in early 2016. After the completion of Academic
Decathlon, the rest of the year will be spent preparing for Quiz Bowl on the conference level and finally
reading the novel for the next year’s Acadec topic.
Course Materials
Textbook—Materials acquired from the Academic Decathlon online resources.
Novel—Nectar in a Sieve, by Kamala Markandaya.
Online – students will be given access to US Academic Decathlon and USAD resources (reading packets,
cram kits, practice tests)
Students will be required to supply loose leaf paper, pens, and pencils.
Evaluation/Grading Procedures
Students will be evaluated through discussion, quizzes, tests, and writing. Since this is a ‘competitive
event’ AcaDec advisors are trying to find those students best equipped to do well in interscholastic
competitions. This will be done by assessing the aptitude and commitment of each student – since not
all students enrolled in this course will be able to compete.
Weekly Schedule/Length of Course
M-Th, 30 min/class OR M/W/F 45 min/class, 2 semesters