Description

These high school personal finance income taxes lessons and activities will give your students practice interpreting W-2s, understanding deductions and credits, reading tax tables, and completing a Form 1040 tax return!

All lessons are easy to prep and include everything you need to confidently teach about federal income taxes in a way your students will enjoy.

*Updated in January 2026 with 2025 Tax Forms! Updates are made at the end of each year when new tax forms are released and are included with your purchase for the life of this resource.*

Google Slides, guided notes, practice worksheets, and keys are included with each lesson! The Google Slides will help you walk students through the tax forms line by line! A BINGO game and scavenger hunt review activity is also included for extra practice and review. Worksheets and handouts for all four lessons and activities are included in a single easy-to-print PDF.

This 7-10 one-hour class period unit includes:

Lesson 1: Understanding The Form W-2 – 1 to 2 Class Periods – Students will learn what information is provided on a W-2, then complete a 10-question worksheet to check their understanding. A second extra practice worksheet is also included.

Lesson 2: Deductions & Credits – 1 Class Period – Students will learn about the differences between deductions and credits and how they both work to lower taxes.

Lesson 3: Reading Tax Tables – 1 to 2 Class Periods – Students will learn how to read a tax table and then use the current tax tables to answer questions on a practice worksheet. A Tax Table BINGO game is also included for extra practice during a second class period.

Lesson 4: Completing the Form 1040 – 2 Class Periods – Students will combine all of their knowledge from the previous three lessons to complete a Form 1040 tax return. W-2s and other taxpayer information are provided for four different taxpayers (2 single and 2 married filing jointly). To complete each taxpayer’s tax return, students will need to read their W-2s, apply deductions and credits, and calculate their tax using a tax table. They will complete Form 1040 and decide whether each taxpayer owes more taxes or should receive a refund.

Review Activity – Federal Income Taxes Scavenger Hunt: 1 Class Period – A Federal Income Taxes Scavenger Hunt is also included for students to practice and review their skills! Includes 15 questions that can be hung in your classroom for students to rotate between questions. An alternative worksheet is also included for absent students or students who are unable to move around the classroom.

Study Guide & Unit Quiz – A study guide is included for additional review before the quiz. Both a paper version and a self-grading Google Forms version of the quiz are included.

**A Google Account is required to download this unit and access the Google Slides. The Google Slides and PDFs in this resource are not editable.**

Need a full curriculum for your class? This unit plus six more are included in the Understanding Personal Finance Curriculum here.

The information provided in this resource does not, and is not intended to, constitute tax or financial advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available are for general informational purposes only.  Information in this resource may not constitute the most up-to-date tax or other information.  This resource may contain information regarding third parties.  Such information is only for the convenience of the reader.  CKMath does not recommend or endorse any third party, and CKMath is not affiliated with, nor sponsored by, the United States Internal Revenue Services.