Calling all special agents! The IRS needs your help in their latest mission. NGPF's newest activity, Tax Return Rescue: The Case of the Scattered Digits, is a fun way to engage your students in learning about the basics of tax return calculations.

The Great Tax Day Digit Hunt

In this activity, students take on the role of special agents in the IRS's elite Digit Recovery Team. Their mission? To reconstruct a tax return that has fallen victim to a glitch in the new digital tax software. With numbers scattered and digits missing, it's up to your students to save the day!

Putting Tax Knowledge to the Test

To crack the case, students will need to fill in the missing digits, using each digit (0 through 9) only once to make the tax calculation work. They'll rely on their understanding of the U.S. tax system and problem-solving skills to complete the mission successfully. The activity also includes an entry from the Digit Recovery Team Handbook, which provides useful definitions to guide students along the way.

Fast-Track Your Way to Tax Day Fun

The activity is available in a Google Doc that contains both the student-facing mission briefing  and worksheet as well as the answer key. The mission can be completed in around 15 minutes, making it a perfect addition to your lesson plans.

It’s Tax Day, so there's no better time to engage your students with this fun and educational activity. Will your students be able to crack the case and save the taxpayer's return? There's only one way to find out! Join the IRS Digit Recovery Team and add a little excitement to this year's tax season with this quick taxes activity.

About the Author

Dave Martin

Dave joins NGPF with 15 years of teaching experience in math and computer science. After joining the New York City Teaching Fellows program and earning a Master's degree in Education from Pace University, his teaching career has taken him to New York, New Jersey and a summer in the north of Ghana. Dave firmly believes that financial literacy is vital to creating well-rounded students that are prepared for a complex and highly competitive world. During what free time two young daughters will allow, Dave enjoys video games, Dungeons & Dragons, cooking, gardening, and taking naps.