Tax Return Preparation

EQ - How do I prepare a tax return?

1. Activator: Costs of doing taxes
2. Vocabulary Preview - The Language of Taxes
3. Start Here
4. Simulation 1 - W-4
5.  Simulation 2 - W-2
6. Simulation 3 - W-2 & 1099 INT - 1040EZ 
7. 1040EZ Form 
8. Tax Table
9. 1099-Int Form
10. Table Quiz - Key Terminology
11. Completing a 1040EZ

Minimum Wage Laws

EQ - How do current minimum wage laws affect your pay?

1. Activator: LINK
1. List - TPS- What do you know about minimum wage?
2. Inquire - TPS - What questions can be formed from this list?
3. Read "The Impact of $9 Minimum Wage"
4. Collaborative Groups - Discussion - What's the big deal about minimum wage?
5. Note - Make Notes about your discussion.  Look for answers to our inquiry questions, connections to what you already know or heard about in our discussion, and new questions that arose as you read.
6. Know -  Write a short explanation (140 characters or less) of what you now know about minimum wage.
7. Discussion - How has your understanding of minimum wage changed as a result of the reading and discussion?
2. Developmental Activity - Can You Survive?
1. TPS - Before you begin
1. Explain your opinion of a job that will pay your $9/hr.
2. Would you be able to provide for yourself at this hourly rate?
2. The Experience - Can You Survive?
3. TPS - What was this experience like for you?
4. Has your perception changed?  Why or why not?
3.  Additional Reading - Federal Minimum Wage Laws

Calculating Pay

EQ - How does the Federal Government spend our tax dollars?

1. Activator: An aggregate view of federal income tax dollars
2. Assignment Review
1. Answer the EQ
2. Describe your opinion on how our federal income are dispersed.
1. Do you think the allocation is appropriate? Why or why not?
2. If you could change anything regarding how tax dollars are spent, what would you change?  Explain.
3.  Class discussion

EQ - What considerations factor into the calculation of a paycheck?

1. Activator - KWL Paycheck Withholdings
2. Paycheck Terminology
1. Hourly vs. Salary
2. Defining Pay Periods
3. Social Security
4. Medicare
5. FICA
3. Getting Paid Math *TPS
4. KWL Update
5. TOD - Half sheet summary
1. Formulate an answer to the EQ