Lab Description
This lab teaches the basic concepts of taxes, paystub analysis, why taxes are essential, calculating taxes, types of taxes, tax filing, etc. using interactive digital activities. The lab is divided into three sections
- Basics of Taxes
- Tax Filing
- Conclusion
In the section "Basics of Taxes", students will learn about -
- What are taxes
- Interactive worksheet to categorize government spending in a year and calculate the total in each category.
- Interactive worksheet to analyze the paystub of an employee.
- How the government uses the tax money
- Types of Taxes
- Income tax in detail
- Interactive worksheet to familiarize & calculate progressive tax
- Taxable income and deductions
- Income tax calculation worksheet.
In the section "Tax Filing", students will learn about -
- Filing taxes
- Interactive worksheet to analyze W-2
- Interactive worksheet to use the W-2 and fill out Form 1040
- Research and Writing activities
In the conclusion section of the lab, students will write a letter to the state representative suggesting three changes in how tax money is used.
Who this course is for
Middle and High school students
Student Feedbacks
We asked students, what you remember the most about the lab, and here are some of the responses
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ I will remember that there are over a trillion dollars spent in taxes to the federal government each year.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ The government takes the amount of taxes they do for a reason, yeah it can add up for people who are struggling but it is necessary or else we wouldn't have a lot of the things we need.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ What I remember the most from this lab is what the government pays money towards. I remember that the government pays the most money towards defense.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ The thing I will remember most is how to use the tax bracket to see how much I'll own in taxes.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ I will remember most about how income tax works
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ what happens with all the tax money
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ that taxes are a massive part of life and you need to pay them
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ The way a paycheck looks and works
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ How taxes are taken from your income. However, I wish this would have been Canadian information rather than American because it would have been more relevant.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ I for sure learned a lot about taxes.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ the different types of taxes
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ How much money we give away in taxes.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ sales and property tax.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ I learned a lot about the types of taxes and how much they generally are.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ how tax brackets work
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ I would remember doing the labs and learnig how to do taxes.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ I remember the tax income percentages.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ the tax forms
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ Progessive tax calculation
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ I will remember the interactive papers (W-2? and tax brackets) most. This is partially because I struggled with them, but they were also a good way to show realistic numbers.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ i will remeber trying to find the procedure to calculate taxes.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ How to do taxes and the different types of taxes.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ All of the different types of taxes.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ Progressive tax, where federal taxes go to, the information in a W-2
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ How the calculated progressive tax amounts.
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ the definitions of forms and taxes
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ Progressive tax
- Anonymous Student
(*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ (*) ★ ★ Writing the w2 forms (very good very nice)
- Anonymous Student