Sample content

Responsible Citizenship and Canada's Tax System

Learning focus one

Students learn about the tax roles of different levels of government, the services each provides, and how this impacts daily life. Students use Handout 1 as a resource, to complete the following tasks:

Task 1 – Cost of public services

As a class, brainstorm about the public services we use in everyday life (for example, clean water, roads, public parks) and where the money to pay for these services comes from (level of government).

• Working in groups of four, students complete the Daily activity chart – Handout 2.
  
• Groups share their work with the class.
  
• Provide the class with the correct answers – Handout 3.

Task 4 – Budgeting

Students analyze a sample municipal government budget. They complete their own personal budget based on what they have learned.

• Working in groups, students discuss the municipal government budget and decide what changes they would make to this budget if they were the mayor – Handout 5.
  
• Each group creates a multi-coloured pie chart that reflects their new budget.
  
• Each group makes a presentation to the class and justifies their allocation of funds.
  
• Individually, students complete a monthly personal budget, listing their income from each source (for example, parents, employers, odd jobs), and where they spend their money (for example, movies, clothes, food, leisure activities, savings). They can use the sample municipal budget as a model.
  
• Individually, students reflect on what they learned about their spending. Guide their reflections with questions such as:
  • How did you spend your money?
  • Did your spending habits surprise you?
  • Will you do anything differently in the future?

Date modified:

2016-02-03