Systems thinking is not a skill reserved for adults or older students; in fact, as Tracey Benson of the Waters Center for Systems Thinking describes in this article, children can learn the habits of systems thinking from a young age. She argues that schools have a responsibility to educate students to be “systems citizens” who have the skills and knowledge to tackle the complex challenges that they will face in the world.
Toolkit Library/
Developing a systems thinking capacity in learners of all ages
Article
15 minutes
By: Tracey Benson, Waters Center for Systems Thinking
Educator-prep | K-12 educators
Making connections:
Principled Innovation asks us to work with others and recognize the limits of our own knowledge so that we can better understand and tackle the complex issues our communities face.
K-5 Card Deck Activity: Curiosity
Tool
20 minutes
By: Principled Innovation® (PI)
Visualize and build a prototype
Tool
120 minutes
By: The Learning Accelerator
What is critical thinking (and why should I care)?
Video
5 minutes
By: SAGE Students, Thomas Chatfield
Listening for understanding
Tool
20 minutes
By: Principled Innovation® (PI)
Ethics Centre playlist, part 2: ethical decision making
Video
4 minutes
By: Ethics Centre