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SDG Wedding Cake Model

Learning World SDG Wedding Cake Model

This Learning World introduces the UN Sustainable Development Goals to our target age group of nine to eleven years and describes the importance and learning objectives related to the interconnections of the SDGs using the Wedding Cake Model by Johan Rockström and Pavan Sukhdev. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of the Wedding Cake Model as well as examples of the connections between this and other SDGs.

Boardstory for interactive learning

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Educational Material

The Learning Objectives outline the key competencies students will develop by completing this Learning World. They also highlight connections to other topics, encouraging further exploration and discussion beyond this module.

Learning Objectives

Acquiring competencies for sustainable development is part of a lifelong learning process. The boardstory and exercises provided in this learning world initiate this process and help students gain knowledge, reflect and think critically, and take meaningful action. After completing this unit, it is recommended to foster the development of the desired competencies for sustainable development e.g. by teaching further learning worlds. Thus, expanding students’ skill sets further.

With this in mind, the learning objectives of this specific learning world first and foremost aim to develop a basic understanding of the respective SDG and related connections for students aged nine to eleven. Gaining and expanding competencies for sustainable development further is desirable, but can only be achieved through continuous immersion and persistence.

Following the interaction with this Learning World, the students will be able to:

  • explain the reasons and benefits of having objectives and the concept of a vision (in general not yet related to the SDGs).

  • restate that the global community formed a long-term vision in 2015 in the shape of the 17 SDGs.

  • categorize these SDGs as ideals that the world community agreed upon to work towards.

  • express that, however, the participation and commitment to achieve the SDGs is on a voluntary basis.

  • categorize the SDGs into the 5 Ps: Planet, People, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership.

  • question the hierarchy between the SDGs, e.g. whether one SDG is more important than another.

  • explain that essentially each of the SDGs is important, but that the Wedding Cake Model describes and visualizes the fundamental synergy of the SDGs.

    • A healthy biosphere as foundation of life and the first layer of our Wedding Cake represented by the goals 6, 13, 14, 15.

    • A fair and just society as the second layer; represented by the goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 16.

    • An economy that serves all people and not just a few; represented by the goals 8, 9, 10, 12.

    • Partnerships, locally and globally, are essential to achieve these three layers; represented by goal 17.

  • connect the parts of the Wedding Cake Model to specific elements or actions of their local environment.

  • reflect on how real-life problems are linked to different parts of the Wedding Cake Model.

  • recognize how prosperity for all depends on a functioning and healthy biosphere and a just society.



Connection to other SDGs

The 17 SDGs complement each other and should not be viewed in isolation. As such synergy effects can occur, for example an improvement in one of the SDGs can in turn have a positive effect on another. At the same time, prioritizing measures for one SDG can also lead to another goal being neglected. 

Learning World

SDG 01: No Poverty

This Learning World focuses on teaching about the definition and classification of poverty, its multiple causes, its forms of appearance and the implications it has on different levels such as the individual and the structural; the local and the global. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 1 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 02: Zero Hunger

This Learning World focuses on understanding that hunger and malnutrition are a problem of distribution and that rethinking and transforming global diet choices and agriculture are essential. Furthermore, the importance for our health is stated. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 2 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 03: Good Health and Well-being

This Learning World focuses on understanding diverse forms of health and well-being as well as the importance of collective action and sexual education. Further potential topics can be illnesses and health abuse. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 3 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 04: Quality Education

This Learning World focuses on realizing that quality education provides the basis for understanding our world and society (as well as the SDGs themselves) and being able to interact within different systems and contexts. Furthermore, it is about understanding that education needs to be inclusive and equitable to create a just world for everyone. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 4 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
To the Learning World

Learning World

SDG 05: Gender Equality

This Learning World focuses on understanding gender inequality, its implications and its intersectionality. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 5 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 06: Clean Water and Sanitation

This Learning World focuses on understanding the role and importance of and access to clean water and sanitation. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 6 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 07: Affordable and Clean Energy

This Learning World focuses on understanding the importance of sustainable and affordable energy for everyone, everywhere. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 7 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 08: Decent Work and Economic Growth

This Learning World focuses on understanding the role of decent work as well as the shortcomings of economic growth and possible implications for our planet and the well-being of people. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 8 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 09: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

This Learning World focuses on understanding the role and potential of industry, innovation and infrastructure for creating and maintaining a just society. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 9 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

This Learning World focuses on understanding what inequalities are, who is especially affected and what implications inequalities can have for vulnerable groups. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 10 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

This Learning World focuses on understanding the importance of sustainable, inclusive, safe and resilient cities and communities and what this could mean in concrete terms – locally and globally. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 11 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

This Learning World focuses on understanding the difference between needs and wants, how consumption and production have extensive impacts on different levels and that different actors are involved in both production and consumption. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 12 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
To the Learning World

Learning World

SDG 13: Climate Action

This Learning World focuses on understanding the anthropogenic greenhouse effect, its implications and measures to mitigate them. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 13 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 14: Life below Water

This Learning World focuses on understanding the role of oceans for our climate, how humanity influences and depends on life below water and how maritime ecosystems are in need of protection. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 14 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 15: Life on Land

This Learning World focuses on understanding how humanity influences and depends on life on land and how terrestrial ecosystems are in need of protection. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 15 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

This Learning World focuses on understanding the role and importance of peace, justice and strong institutions everywhere and for everyone. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 16 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

This Learning World focuses on understanding the role and importance of global partnerships in order to achieve the SDGs and create a just and livable world for everyone, everywhere. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on the contents of SDG 17 as well as examples of the connections between this SDG and others.
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Learning World

SDG Dilemmas

This Learning World focuses on understanding the shortcomings and dilemmas of the SDGs and gives examples for different conflicts of goals. The Learning World provides ideas and components that you can integrate into your teaching: An interactive boardstory with complementary exercises, a glossary with the most important terms of the Learning World, additional exercises to consolidate and further reflect on SDG Dilemmas as well as examples of the connections between this Learning World and other SDGs.
To the Learning World
Funded by the EU
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.