Lesson Plan
Council for Economic Education

You Can BANK on This! (Part 2)

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
This is part two in a four-part instructional activity on banking and personal finance. In this instructional activity, learners analyze whether or not they have made a good purchase, then discuss how to make an informed decision about a...
Lesson Plan
Federal Reserve Bank

Government Spending and Taxes

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
What types of government programs are designed to improve economic inequity in the United States? Introduce your learners to government programs, such as low-income housing, Social Security, and Medicaid, how they work to improve...
Lesson Plan
2
2
Federal Reserve Bank

Income Taxes

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Most adults dread April 15 — tax day! Tax preparation can be intimidating even for adults. Build confidence by leading individuals through the process and then give them a scenario to practice. The exercise uses tax vocabulary to give...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Sales Tax and Tip

For Teachers 7th Standards
Don't forget to tip your server. Future consumers learn how to calculate sales taxes and tips. Pairs use actual restaurant menus to create an order and determine the total bill, including taxes and tips.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sales Tax

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the concept of sales tax. For this sales tax lesson, students work in groups to spend $500. Students calculate the discount and sales tax on each item. Students buy between 5 to 10 items.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Taxed and Why

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Students are exposed to the need for federal, state and local governments to tax constituents to provide goods and services for their residents. They identify the different kinds of taxes and give examples of the goods and services taxed.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sales Tax and Discounts

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore the concept of sales tax and discounts. In this sales tax and discounts lesson, students pretend to gamble in groups to win fake money. Middle schoolers must tax their winnings. Students collect receipts. Middle...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Finding Sales Tax

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders investigate sales tax. Following a teacher demonstration, they find sales tax and the total cost of items. In groups, classmates choose items from a menu that they would like to purchase. Each student figures the sales...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taxes

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the concept of taxes and gather relevant information to become a tax 'expert. In this taxes lesson, 4th graders work in teams to find information regarding different areas in taxes. Students work together to...
Lesson Plan
Illustrative Mathematics

Buying a Car

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Teenagers love to think about driving and buying their first car. The intent of this resource is to create an equation for the list price of a car and add the appropriate state tax. Once your teens understand the calculation, ask them to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Your Role as a Taxpayer: Why Pay Taxes?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students evaluate the basic rationale, nature, and consequences fo taxes. They describe why governments need taxes as revenue to provide goods and servicesin this series of activities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sales Spreadsheet

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students use Excel spreadsheets to organize purchases, discounts, sales prices, and sales tax. Students follow step by step instructions and enter formulas as well as use the auto sum feature to calculate required calculations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Micro Economics - Personal Budgeting

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the real world as it relates to money and how people use it. In this money management lesson, students jump into the real world as they role play with money through spending, saving, being married, single, having...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Family Purchases

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students generate a gift list for their family members making sure the costs remain under budget. They research the cost of items on the internet, calculate sales tax, and determine the total cost for all of the gifts.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Computing Costs

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders calculate the out-of-pocket money needed to purchase a discounted item taxed at a certain percentage of sales tax.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Go Shopping with $500

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders use a worksheet to budget a five-hundred dollar shopping spree. They select goods to purchase, figure totals and then calculate discounts and sales tax. They compare results to determine who purchased the most for his or...
Lesson Plan
Illustrative Mathematics

Buying Protein Bars and Magazines

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Packing for a trip? This activity allows learners to decide how many magazines and protein bars they can buy with twenty dollars. They can organize their work in a chart to track how many items they can purchase. There are two different...
Lesson Plan
PLS 3rd Learning

Monthly Budget & Operating Costs

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What teenager wouldn't want a car? But before they make that big purchase, this exercise helps them to understand the costs involved. It includes a worksheet to calculate expenses like taxes and fees, maintenance, gas and insurance, as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cost Effective Buying

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students evaluate energy-related purchases. For this consumer awareness lesson, students visit an appliance store and rank the products' cost effectiveness by using a mathematical formula.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Buying a Car

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders create spreadsheets to calculate payments. They create a list of items they would like to purchase that require monthly payments. They simulate buying a car and create a spreadsheet to determine the amount of the monthly...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The National Economy - Measures and Models

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students review economic goals and evaluate progress in achieving those goals. They focus on equity, efficiency, economic freedom and growth. They provide and example of a production decision for the economy as a whole.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Investigating School Safety and Slope

For Teachers 8th - 11th Standards
Learners investigate the slope of various stairways through a "news report" approach and employ mathematical knowledge of applied slope to report on wheelchair accessibility and adherence to Americans with Disabilities Act. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Math and Money

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore personal finance.  In this middle school mathematics lesson, students investigate banking, income tax, and the cost of living.  The lesson includes two bonus lessons on graphing their personal spending habits...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music Favorites and Place Value

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders view CD ads and create a chart about an imaginary CD purchase.  In this CD lesson, 4th graders calculate various cost connected with the CD's at the regular price and on sale. Students write a paragraph about the...