Curriculum

The academic program at Academy of Global Education Shkola follows the American K–12 framework — from Grade 1 through Grade 12 — and is aligned with Florida State educational standards. Every subject carries a defined credit value. Completing the required total unlocks an official U.S. High School Diploma recognized at more than 800 universities worldwide.

This page covers the full course structure across all three school levels, the credit requirements at each stage, the grading system, and the advanced tracks available to students targeting competitive universities.

How Credits Work

A credit is the unit the American school system uses to measure completed instructional work. One credit typically represents one full year of study in a subject. Half-credit courses run for a semester. Credits accumulate across grade levels — the cumulative total, alongside GPA, is what appears on the official transcript sent to universities.

The three school levels carry different credit totals: Elementary School — 20 credits, Middle School — 12 credits, High School — 24 credits. Students who enter the school mid-program receive an individual credit plan based on their prior academic record.

Elementary School — Grades 1–5 (20 Credits)

Elementary school runs through five grade levels and covers four core subject tracks, each worth 5 credits. The program is structured around the development of foundational academic habits: reading with comprehension, written expression, numeracy, and scientific inquiry. Students work at their individual pace within a curriculum aligned to Florida State standards.

Grade 1

• Elementary Language Arts Grade 1 (5 hrs/week) — phonics, spelling, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and early writing. Students learn to decode words and build reading fluency through interactive tools and guided practice.
• Elementary Mathematics Grade 1 (4 hrs/week) — foundational arithmetic using multimedia tools: number sense, basic operations, and real-world problem solving.
• Elementary Science Grade 1 (4 hrs/week) — Earth science, life science, and physical science explored through inquiry-based activities, data analysis, and student-led experiments.
• Elementary Social Studies Grade 1 (4 hrs/week) — family, community, and civic roles; introduces basic geography, history, and economics.

Grade 2

• Elementary Language Arts Grade 2 (5 hrs/week) — spelling, grammar, fluency, and writing in three modes: explanatory, narrative, and opinion.
• Elementary Mathematics Grade 2 (4 hrs/week) — addition and subtraction to 1,000; place value, 2D shape classification, measurement, and graphing.
• Elementary Science Grade 2 (4 hrs/week) — continued inquiry across Earth, life, and physical sciences with hands-on lab activities.
• Elementary Social Studies Grade 2 (4 hrs/week) — U.S. immigration history, North American geography, and the foundations of American citizenship.

Grade 3

• Elementary Language Arts Grade 3 (5 hrs/week) — cursive writing, vocabulary expansion, reading comprehension, grammar, and structured essay writing.
• Elementary Mathematics Grade 3 (4 hrs/week) — multiplication, fractions, data representation, and two-step equations in applied contexts.
• Elementary Science Grade 3 (4 hrs/week) — science and engineering practices: modeling, investigation design, data interpretation, and evidence-based argumentation.
• Elementary Social Studies Grade 3 (4 hrs/week) — U.S. history, geography of North America and the Caribbean, and the physical and cultural characteristics of neighboring countries.

Grade 4

• Elementary Language Arts Grade 4 (5 hrs/week) — morphology, spelling, grammar, and writing in argumentative, explanatory, and narrative forms.
• Elementary Mathematics Grade 4 (4 hrs/week) — multi-digit multiplication, fraction operations, angle measurement with a protractor, and data interpretation.
• Elementary Science Grade 4 (4 hrs/week) — Earth, life, and physical sciences through STEM-integrated projects and engineering challenges.
• Elementary Social Studies Grade 4 — Florida-Specific (4 hrs/week) — geography, history, economics, and government of Florida, connecting past events to the present.

Grade 5

• Elementary Language Arts Grade 5 (5 hrs/week) — word structure, reading strategies, grammar, and essay writing across all three text types.
• Elementary Mathematics Grade 5 (4 hrs/week) — division, fraction operations, area and volume; math applied through scenario-based exercises.
• Elementary Science Grade 5 (4 hrs/week) — advanced inquiry and scientific reasoning across Earth, life, and physical science concepts.
• Elementary Social Studies Grade 5 (4 hrs/week) — early American civilizations, European exploration, and the roots of U.S. history using primary and secondary sources.

Middle School — Grades 6–8 (12 Credits)

Middle school shifts the academic focus toward independent reasoning, source-based research, and academic writing. Students move through language arts, mathematics, comprehensive science, and social studies with increasing analytical demand each year. The total credit requirement for this stage is 12.

Grade 6

• Middle School Language Arts I (5 hrs/week) — reading comprehension, rhetoric analysis, and writing in narrative, informational, and argumentative forms.
• Middle School Mathematics Grade 6 (4 hrs/week) — all four operations with integers and decimals; ratios, rates, percentages; coordinate geometry and statistical thinking.
• Middle School Comprehensive Science I (4 hrs/week) — biology, physics, Earth science, and STEM integration; hands-on labs and real-world problem solving.
• Middle School World History (4 hrs/week) — ancient civilizations from Egypt and Greece to China, India, and the Americas; cause-and-effect analysis across 1,500 years.

Grade 7

• Middle School Language Arts II (5 hrs/week) — rhetorical analysis of historical texts, argumentative and expository essay writing, and close reading of literary and non-fiction works.
• Middle School Mathematics Grade 7 (4 hrs/week) — scientific notation, real number systems, linear equations and inequalities, functions, and the Pythagorean theorem.
• Middle School Comprehensive Science II (4 hrs/week) — biology, physics, and Earth science with continued STEM applications and independent lab investigations.
• Middle School Civics (4 hrs/week) — rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens; structure of local, state, and federal government; elections and civic participation.

Grade 8

• Middle School Language Arts III (5 hrs/week) — voice, diction, syntax, and rhetoric in historical speeches and literature; preparation for high school-level academic writing.
• Pre-Algebra (4 hrs/week) — real numbers, algebraic expressions, linear equations and inequalities, functions, and 2D geometry with the Pythagorean theorem.
• Middle School Comprehensive Science III (4 hrs/week) — nature of science, Earth and space science, properties and changes of matter, and energy transfer; direct preparation for high school science tracks.
• Middle School U.S. History (4 hrs/week) — from the first American colonies through Reconstruction; cause-and-effect analysis of political and social change.

High School — Grades 9–12 (24 Credits)

High school is the stage that determines university readiness. Students in Grades 9–12 complete 24 mandatory credits across English, mathematics, sciences, social studies, world language, and electives. GPA is calculated from all high school grades and is the primary academic metric reviewed by university admissions offices. Students may also enroll in Honors or AP courses to strengthen their academic profile.

Grade 9

• English I (4 hrs/week) — reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills; analysis of literary and informational texts, both classical and contemporary.
• Integrated Mathematics I (4 hrs/week) — algebraic foundations for all future math courses; real-life applications in sport, travel, business, and health.
• Earth Space Science (3 hrs/week) — geology, oceanography, atmospheric science, and space; experiments and interactive investigations.
• World History (3 hrs/week) — 500 AD to the present: medieval empires, the Reformation, Scientific Revolution, industrialization, and modern conflicts.
• Personal Fitness (3 hrs/week) — structured weekly physical activity covering cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and strength training.

Grade 10

• English II (4 hrs/week) — human experience across genres and history; research writing, literary analysis, and development of individual writing style.
• Algebra I (4 hrs/week) — core algebraic skills with real-world applications; foundation for Geometry and Algebra II.
• Biology (3 hrs/week) — living and non-living systems, cell structure, evolution, and ecosystems through inquiry and collaborative lab work.
• United States History (3 hrs/week) — post-Civil War America to the present: industrialization, wars, civil rights movements, and contemporary issues.
• United States Government (3 hrs/week) — Constitutional principles, structure and function of federal government, civil liberties, and civic engagement.

Grade 11

• English III (4 hrs/week) — literary analysis, rhetoric, and academic publishing; close reading from classical to contemporary texts.
• Algebra II (4 hrs/week) — advanced algebraic concepts, real-world modelling, peer collaboration, and technology-assisted exploration.
• Physics I (3 hrs/week) — motion, forces, energy, waves, electricity, and light; lab work, simulations, and mathematical problem solving.
• Economics (3 hrs/week) — scarcity, decision-making, market systems, and the economic relationships between individuals, businesses, and governments.
• Digital Art Imaging I (3 hrs/week) — digital image creation using cameras, editing software, and design tools; critical evaluation of visual output.

Grade 12

• English IV — historical influence on contemporary texts; academic writing, oral presentation, and communication skills for college and career.
• Chemistry I — composition, properties, and changes of matter; STEM-integrated labs and phenomenon-based learning.
• Geometry — geometric relationships, formal proofs, and spatial reasoning extending from algebraic foundations.
• 4 elective credits of the student’s choice — selected based on academic interests and intended university major.

Students in grades 11 and 12 may change their elective selections during the first week of each academic term.

The GPA System: How Academic Standing Is Calculated

GPA (Grade Point Average) is the numerical representation of a student’s academic performance across all high school courses. It is the metric universities use to assess consistency and rigor over four years — not a single exam result, but a sustained record. The cumulative GPA appears on every transcript sent to admissions offices.

Letter grades convert to GPA points as follows:

GPA is calculated by multiplying each course grade (in points) by its credit value, summing the results, and dividing by the total number of credits. The cumulative GPA updates each semester and reflects the complete high school record at the time of university application.

Honors Courses: Greater Depth, Stronger Academic Profile

Honors courses cover the same subject areas as standard tracks but at a higher level of analytical and academic demand. They involve research projects, critical writing, and independent investigation — closer in intensity to first-year university work than to standard high school coursework. Honors courses do not require a separate external exam, unlike AP.

Available Honors courses at Academy of Global Education Shkola include:

• Pre-Calculus Honors — advanced function analysis, trigonometry, and real-world mathematical modeling.
• Calculus Honors — limits, continuity, differentiation, and integration with graphing software.
• Probability and Statistics Honors — study design, probability, simulation, and statistical inference applied to real datasets.
• Art History and Criticism I Honors — analysis of significant works from prehistory to the 21st century; methodology, cultural context, and critical writing.
• Spanish III & IV Honors — advanced language proficiency through cultural immersion, literature, and authentic communicative tasks.
• French III Honors, Chinese III & IV Honors, Latin III & IV Honors, American Sign Language III Honors — world language tracks at advanced levels, available in self-study format.

AP Courses: University-Level Study That Earns Credits Early

Advanced Placement (AP) is a College Board program developed with input from Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and other leading universities. AP courses operate at the level of a first- or second-year university subject. Students sit an official AP exam in May; a score of 3 or higher earns preferential consideration at 90% of universities in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and 50+ other countries — and at many institutions converts directly into university course credits, reducing the cost and duration of a degree.

The average GPA of incoming Harvard freshmen is 4.18 — a figure only achievable when AP courses are included, since the maximum standard GPA is 4.0. Academy of Global Education Shkola holds College Board accreditation (school code 964748) and is authorized to offer the following 20 AP courses:

• AP Art History (1 credit)
• AP Biology (1 credit)
• AP Calculus AB (1 credit)
• AP Calculus BC (1 credit)
• AP Computer Science A (1 credit)
• AP Computer Science Principles (1 credit)
• AP English Language and Composition (1 credit)
• AP English Literature and Composition (1 credit)
• AP Environmental Science (1 credit)
• AP Human Geography (1 credit)
• AP Macroeconomics (0.5 credits)
• AP Microeconomics (0.5 credits)
• AP Physics I (1 credit)
• AP Precalculus (1 credit)
• AP Psychology (1 credit)
• AP Spanish Language and Culture (1 credit)
• AP Statistics (1 credit)
• AP U.S. Government and Politics (0.5 credits)
• AP United States History (1 credit)
• AP World History (1 credit)

Enrollment in AP courses opens at the start of the academic year. Exams take place each May. Students are advised to register before November to avoid the late exam fee. AP courses can be taken with a certified tutor individually or in small groups, depending on the student’s schedule and level.

What the Completed Program Delivers

A student who completes the full K–12 program at Academy of Global Education Shkola graduates with an official U.S. High School Diploma, an academic transcript carrying the ACS WASC accreditation seal, and — where applicable — College Board AP certificates. This document set is structurally equivalent to the credential issued by American public and private high schools and is accepted by universities across more than 800 institutions worldwide.

Students who complete the diploma program in English are exempt from mandatory language proficiency exams at most admissions offices. Those who additionally pass AP exams enter university with earned credits, reduced coursework requirements, and — in many cases — scholarship eligibility that would not be accessible through a standard diploma alone.