The high school history curriculum is designed to educate students with the information, understanding and skills they will need to think beyond their current frame of reference and to see other points of view and understand multiple perspectives at the same time. Furthermore, it provides students with collective memory that informs the present and fosters their ability to be educated participants in democracy. Through their study of history, students develop political intelligence, morality, and personal growth. The curriculum includes a comprehensive, in-depth survey of world civilizations, cultures and geography, as well as United States history, and finally civics and the principles of American Democracy and economics. Comprehensive texts including primary sources are chosen to supplement and enhance the student’s learning experience.

World History 

High School students begin with an in-depth look at the great civilizations, kingdoms and empires of the ancient world. They focus on the leaders, thinkers and institutions of those times, understanding why they rose to prominence, how they conducted affairs of state, and their lasting impressions and influences. Students also deepen their understanding of geography, focusing on a society’s location and environment and their effects on relationships outside that society. Students strengthen their map reading skills and overlay their topographic knowledge of places with population, political and natural resource information. From this knowledge students form a sophisticated appreciation for history as it is shaped by people, who are in turn shaped by their physical environment.

American History

Students move on to examine Modern U.S. History scrutinizing the growth of the federal government starting in the late nineteenth century through to the present. They explore what it means to be an American today and how the U.S. established itself as a world leader and superpower. Students also develop their appreciation for the diversity of the United States population as well as its distinctive geography. This survey covers a period of nearly 150 years of developments and includes consideration for culture, religion, literature, art, music, and education, as well as politics both foreign and domestic.

American Government and Civic responsibility

High school students culminate their history studies with the principles of American democracy and civics. This concentration delves into the key elements of representative democracy as they developed over time. Students will contemplate the trade-offs of majority rule and the protection of individual rights, how much power the government should have, and their responsibilities as citizens within the U.S. democracy. Furthermore, students will study the U.S. government with the goal of understanding how it works, including elections, passage of laws, executive powers and responsibilities, as well as judicial oversight. They will also understand their rights and responsibilities as they relate to participating in their government through voting, community service and government activism.

The mission of Ilm Academy’s Physical Education Program is to develop physically educated students who have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity. Physical activities are critical to the development and maintenance of good physical and mental health. It is the goal of the school’s PE Program is to provide students with developmentally appropriate learning opportunities. All students will be provided opportunities to develop health-related fitness, physical competence, cognitive skills, and positive attitudes about physical activity that promote a healthy and physically active lifestyle.

Program Purpose

A physically educated etudent will:

• Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns to perform various of physical activities.
• Participates regularly in physical activity.
• Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities.
• Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fitness.
• Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical activity settings.
• Values physical activity for health enjoyment challenge, self- expression and social interaction with peers.

Under the umbrella of history, students will spend a semester studying the principles of economics. They will learn to use the science of economics to understand the impact of the government on the lives of its citizens. Economics informs decisions not only about household budgeting, but how governments allocate resources. Students will learn about scarcity, investment, growth, employment, competition, protection, entrepreneurship and markets. They will furthermore understand the U.S. economy as it relates to the global economy. Students will apply basic economic principles and methods of analysis to understand economic, social and political issues at the local, state, federal and international levels.

High school students have the opportunity to enroll in community college through our dual enrollment program. Students are supported to take UC transferable courses for their GED requirements. The school’s academic counselor supports students to chart out their classes and plan for their future field of study. 

At Ilm Academy our goal is to prepare our students for advanced courses. PSAT is a college board assessment that helps us collect data to support our students in the subjects of Math and English. Students from 8th grade and above take PSAT every year. It provides our students with exposure to standardized testing environments. Student scores and performance on this exam informs the teachers of the support that students may need in the subject areas. PSAT exams also  help students prepare for SAT’s. 

Ilm Academy administers the digital PSAT exams on campus for our students.