Canadian & World Studies · Grade 11

Active learning ideas

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Active learning connects abstract global goals to real economic systems that students can analyze. By working with policy scenarios, trade cases, and local initiatives, students see how SDGs shape decisions in markets, governments, and communities. This hands-on approach makes the interconnected nature of the goals visible and meaningful.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: The Individual and the Economy - Grade 11
• ON: Global Economic Issues - Grade 11

• 35–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Jigsaw
• 50 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: SDG Interconnections

Divide class into groups, each assigned 2-3 SDGs. Groups research economic links to others using UN and Statistics Canada data, then regroup as experts to teach peers. Finish with a shared digital mind map.

Analyze the interconnectedness of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Facilitation Tip

During the Jigsaw Protocol, assign each group a unique combination of SDGs to research so they notice overlaps instead of working in silos.

What to look for

Present students with a scenario describing a local business. Ask them to identify which SDG the business most directly impacts and to explain one economic consequence of that impact. For example: 'A new solar panel installation company opens in town. Which SDG does it primarily support, and what is one economic benefit?'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Project-Based Learning
• 35 min · Pairs

Case Study Pairs: Canada's SDG Role

Pairs select a Canadian policy like the Feminist International Assistance Policy. They chart economic costs, benefits, and outcomes, then share via gallery walk. Extend with peer feedback rounds.

Explain Canada's role in achieving the SDGs.

Facilitation Tip

When students analyze Canada's SDG Role through case studies, provide access to recent federal budget documents and provincial climate plans as primary sources.

What to look for

Facilitate a class debate using the prompt: 'Given Canada's economic priorities and resource base, which SDG presents the greatest challenge and which presents the greatest opportunity for economic growth?' Encourage students to support their arguments with specific data or policy examples.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Project-Based Learning
• 60 min · Small Groups

Design Challenge: Local SDG Initiative

Small groups choose one SDG and propose a community project, budgeting costs and projecting economic impacts. Groups pitch to class acting as municipal council for funding decisions.

Design a local initiative that contributes to one of the SDGs.

Facilitation Tip

In the Design Challenge, require students to include a cost-benefit analysis table in their local initiative proposals to practice economic reasoning.

What to look for

Provide students with a list of three SDGs. Ask them to write one sentence for each, explaining how achieving that goal could positively or negatively affect Canada's international trade relationships. Collect these at the end of the lesson.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Project-Based Learning
• 40 min · Small Groups

Debate Carousel: Economic Trade-offs

Post 4 SDG scenarios around the room. Groups rotate, arguing pros and cons of economic priorities, then vote class-wide on best approaches.

Analyze the interconnectedness of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Facilitation Tip

For the Debate Carousel, set a 90-second timer per speaker to keep discussions focused on trade-offs rather than broad generalizations.

What to look for

Present students with a scenario describing a local business. Ask them to identify which SDG the business most directly impacts and to explain one economic consequence of that impact. For example: 'A new solar panel installation company opens in town. Which SDG does it primarily support, and what is one economic benefit?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by starting with familiar economic concepts like GDP, trade, and inequality, then layering SDGs on top as lenses for analysis. Avoid presenting the goals as a checklist; instead, emphasize their interdependence and the conflicts that arise when one goal is prioritized over another. Research shows that when students debate trade-offs, they develop deeper understanding of policy complexity than when goals are studied in isolation.

Successful learning shows when students move from naming goals to explaining trade-offs between them. They should use economic data to justify how one SDG supports or conflicts with another, and propose realistic initiatives that balance growth, equity, and sustainability. Assessment focuses on their ability to connect global targets to local actions and economic outcomes.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Jigsaw Protocol, watch for students labeling SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption) as only environmental, as peer groups often connect it to economic sectors like manufacturing or retail.

  Use the group report structure to require students to include one economic statistic showing how responsible consumption drives market demand or creates new jobs in green industries.

• During the Case Study Pairs activity, watch for students treating SDG 13 (Climate Action) as separate from economic growth rather than examining how carbon pricing affects trade competitiveness.

  Have pairs include a two-column table in their analysis: one side listing climate policies, the other side listing their direct economic impacts on Canadian industries.

• During the Design Challenge, watch for students proposing initiatives that focus solely on environmental benefits without addressing employment or income generation.

  Require each proposal to include an economic impact statement addressing job creation, tax revenue, or trade effects, using local data where possible.

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Methods used in this brief

• Jigsaw
• Project-Based Learning