Students in fourth-grade social studies are learning about the build-up to the Revolutionary War and why the colonists were upset with the British government. The class engaged in a “sweet” activity in which they had to pay “taxes” (okay, well, candy pieces) to King George III and his tax collectors. The amount of taxes they had to pay was based on unfair criteria, such as hair color and whether the kids had pets. Some students ended up paying way more than others. The activity was intended to show the unfairness of taxation without representation. The kids had a blast!
