Barack Obama's American Opportunity Tax Credit: What Could It Do for You?

Focus: 

This WebQuest was created to give students an opportunity to explore a current event in a personally relevant way.  In apprehension of Barack Obama's inauguration on January 20, 2008, I have asked students to deeply consider one of the aspects of Obama's platform:  the American Opportunity Tax Credit.  This proposition would exchange funding for higher education in return for community service.  I wanted my students to be aware of this proposed tax credit as they begin to plan their futures, and I wanted them to think in a multidisciplinary way.

 

Procedures: 

There will be a great deal of celebration in the days surrounding Obama's inauguration.  I recommend speaking with students first about the historic significance of this event, and how they could be personally affected by the new administration.  Next, I would speak with students about former milestones in education (ESEA, NCLB, the G.I. Bill, etc.) and how the executive branch influenced these legislative acts.  Finally, introduce the WebQuest to students and encourage them to really think about some of the ideas included in the "Process" section.  Younger students will need to dialogue quite a bit to grasp some of the concepts, but remind them that WebQuests are supposed to be challenging!  Finally, I recommend establishing a reward for those who attack the quest; an essay contest with external judges would be ideal.

 

References:

The "Evaluation" section of this WebQuest was adapted from The Virginia Standards of Learning Grade 8 Writing Test Blueprint.