Lesson Plan Template

HEADING
Alex de Arana Grade 12 Social Science 60 minutes
Block 1/2 (A): March 21, 2017
City Taxes

OVERVIEW/ RATIONALE
This lesson allows students to apply what they learned about in local government to the
economics and financial component of government. Students can use their experiences with
taxes as part-time employees and residents of Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia area to
learn more about the allocation of city taxes. While this unit draws on students understandings
of local government, it falls after a lesson on federal taxes and local taxes so students can
understand the different levels of government.

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
Analyze the allocation of resources and the effectiveness of local government.
Evaluate the decisions local government officials make and how they affect residents
lives.
Compare and contrast local government taxation policies to state and federal taxation
policies.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES
Analyze how Philadelphia makes money off property taxes and the soda tax
Evaluate the effectiveness of where tax money goes
Develop ways to raise tax money and look at previous examples

STANDARDS
Standard 6.3.12.C: Evaluate the social, political, and economic costs/benefits of
potential changes to taxation policies.

MATERIALS
Worksheets Articles

PROCEDURES

OPENER
Do-Now:
7:50-7:55 List 3 things that city taxes pay for in
Philadelphia.

BODY OF THE LESSON

7:55-8:05 Lecture briefly about how the
differences between city, state, and
federal taxes. Introduce how

1
 Philadelphia makes money off property
taxes by showing an example of a
Philadelphia County zip code versus a
Montgomery County zip code.
8:05-8:10 Have students write what they think
city taxes pay for in Philadelphia and in
the suburbs on a T-chart on the white
board.
8:10-8:20 Place the terms on a Venn diagram as a
class.
8:20-8:30 Introduce the articles to the class and
have students read them individually.
Students will reconvene and answer
questions from the article as a group
8:30-8:45 After reading the articles, each group
will be given a different scenario as if
they were working for the Mayor of
Philadelphia. Groups will be required
to create ways to raise money by
introducing a new tax.
8:45-9:00 Groups will share their strategies by
writing them on the whiteboard and
presenting them to their classmates.

CLOSURE
9:00-9:03 Students will share which way they find
the most effective and creative.

ACCOMMODATIONS
Students with IEPs and/or 504-service agreements will be given necessary accommodations
based on these assignments, including one-on-one assistance and extra time. We will read the
directions to the assignments aloud to assist those who struggle with reading and vocabulary.
Students are given a writing template, making the writing process less intimidating and more
scaffold. I will be answering questions, asking probing questions, and providing help as
necessary for all students.

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION
Students will work deliberate in groups and discuss which options are the best way to improve
Philadelphia. Students will record their decisions on a worksheet that they will submit the end of
class that shows which decisions they made.