It’s tax season! Here are nine math activities you can use to tackle taxes in your classroom. Find the perfect activity, whether you have 10 minutes or 45.

10-20 Minute Activities

• DATA CRUNCH: How Do Sales Taxes Compare Among States?
  Sales tax can have a big impact on how much you end up paying. Students compare sales tax rates across the U.S., which range from 0% to almost 10%!
• DATA CRUNCH: How Old Are Most Taxpayers? Students analyze the demographics of who’s filing taxes.
• DESMOS: Exploring Tax Rates by Income Level and Tax Type
  Students explore interactive data on tax rate by income level. They classify different types of taxes, like income and property taxes, as progressive, regressive, or proportional.

20-30 Minute Activities

• MATH: Income Tax Brackets
  Students dig into the math behind income taxes. This stand-alone math activity includes an Edpuzzle walkthrough video, practice problems, and reflection questions.
• APPLICATION: Calculating Taxes Using Rational Numbers
  Students practice working with fractions, decimals, and percents at three levels to find out how FICA and sales taxes work. 
• DESMOS: Exploring State and Local Tax Rates
  Students dive into interactive data about state and local taxes by income level. They can look up their state to see how it compares!

30-45 Minute Activities

• CALCULATE: Completing a 1040
  It’s time to get real! Students find out what it’s like to file their taxes
• CALCULATE: Your Federal Taxes
  Students calculate how much four people will pay in taxes, including factoring in their deductions and credits
• APPLICATION: Income and Payroll Taxes as Piecewise Functions
  Students write equations for the piecewise functions representing FICA and income tax rates at three levels. Each level is also available as a Desmos activity:
• DESMOS: Piecewise Functions: FICA Tax Rates
• DESMOS: Piecewise Functions: Introducing Marginal and Effective Income Tax Rates
• DESMOS: Piecewise Functions: Calculating Effective Income Tax Rates

Check Out Our Upcoming Virtual PDs on Taxes

• Taxes Resources for Tax Season: Wednesday, April 3, at 4 pm Pacific/ 7 pm Eastern
• The Math Behind Taxes: Wednesday, April 10, at 4 pm Pacific/ 7 pm Eastern

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson

Kathryn (she/her) is excited to join the NGPF team after 9 years of experience in education as a mentor, tutor, and special education teacher. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in policy analysis and management and has a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College. Kathryn is looking forward to bringing her passion for accessibility and educational justice into curriculum design at NGPF. During her free time, Kathryn loves embarking on cooking projects, walking around her Seattle neighborhood with her dog, or lounging in a hammock with a book.

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