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Systems Thinking Module
https://serc.carleton.edu/integrate/teaching_materials/syst_thinking/overview.html

Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

The goal of this module is to prepare students to address complex systems issues for a sustainable future by identifying the parts of a system and explaining how the parts interact, developing skills to model complex systems using data and examples relevant to the course, and applying a systems approach to evaluate a societal challenge.

This learning activity takes six 50 minute class periods.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»

Grade Level

Online Readiness

Topics

Climate Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

  • Teaching tips are included in each of the 6 Units.

About the Content

  • This resource introduces students to the idea of systems thinking, prompting students to think about how all things are connected and rely on one another.
  • The scientific process of a feedback loop is introduced, using the example of wildfires (through an audio clip from NPR) to demonstrate the idea of open (balancing) and closed (reinforcing) systems.
  • References are given for each lesson, as well as many are links to other InTeGrate materials.
  • Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.

About the Pedagogy

  • This lesson begins with a survey which is used at the beginning of the lecture and repeated at the end as a form of an assessment tool.
  • Active learning strategies are incorporated (e.g., group diagrams, gallery walk) throughout.
  • The lesson engages students to think about systems thinking by using a simple analogy of a bathtub.
  • Students are asked to draw/explain the system of a bathtub at the beginning and end of class.
  • Students listen to a scientist discuss the impacts of climate change on wildfires in Canada.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

  • Teachers could quickly research iSee and/or STELLA software before determining whether Lessons 3, 4 and 5 could be utilized in their classroom.
Entered the Collection: August 2025 | Last Reviewed: May 2025

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