ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors describe what comprises a complex system, then they describe what research says about learning system thinking, and finally, they propose suggestions for embedding system thinking in the teaching of climate and climate change. The authors believe that if students learn to think about climate as a system, they are more likely to develop a deeper understanding about climate and climate change and how people are connected to climate and the environment. They focus on a subsystem which is a cycle and provide examples of the pedagogical strategies that could be adopted to facilitate analysis of the components, their interactions, and system thinking. The consideration of the water cycle and its components also allow students to construct an understanding of the hierarchical nature of the smaller systems within the water cycle, which in turn is a part of the climate system.
