Iowa Academic DecathlonR

Iowa Academic DecathlonR strives to encourage and develop the love of learning that comes with the development of knowledge covering a variety of multi-disciplinary topics as well as instilling a commitment to teamwork and effective communication.

2023-2024 Theme:  Technology and Humanity

United States Academic Decathlon® Curricular Topics for 2023–2024

 Visit the USAD Store to order the Basic Curriculum


 ART: The art curriculum will explore technology and art.

 ECONOMICS: The economics curriculum will cover fundamental economic concepts, microeconomics, and macroeconomics and will include a thematic section on technology, innovation, and the economy.

 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 Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin.

 MATHEMATICS: The mathematics curriculum will cover general mathematics, geometry, and an introduction to differential calculus.*

 MUSIC: The music curriculum will explore musical works used in science-fiction films.

 SCIENCE: The science topic will be an introduction to neuroscience and will include a section on technology and neuroscience.

 SOCIAL SCIENCE: The social science topic will be the history of computers.


The full subject area outlines will be posted on the U.S. Academic Decathlon website www.usad.org on May 1 and will be published in the U.S. Academic Decathlon Study Guide, which will be available on May 15.


* The 2023–24 mathematics curriculum and materials will be the same as were used for the 2020–21 U.S. Academic Decathlon.

Our 2023 Urbandale Legionnaires!

We support YOU and THANK YOU for supporting our Iowa students!

Urbandale American Legion 

Virginia Roudabush, IAD Treasurer; Michael Knight, Commander of Post 663; Robert Morris, Service Officer; Joann Hotovec, Auxiliary President; Jim Cade, Legion Advisor; and Peg Mullen, Membership Chair.






Iowa Academic DecathlonR is proud to support Legionnaires in Iowa! We value our tradition of inviting local Legionnaires to our State Competition each year to present awards to our students! 

For more information:

For more information: