High School Course on Systems Thinking

Systems Thinking for High School Students

Course Description and Curriculum Overview

Course Overview

Systems Thinking for High School Students is an interdisciplinary course that introduces students to the fundamental principles of systems thinking through engaging, real-world examples they encounter daily. Rather than viewing problems in isolation, students learn to see the interconnected patterns, feedback loops, and unintended consequences that shape everything from social media algorithms to school policies, from personal relationships to global challenges.

This course empowers students to become better problem-solvers and decision-makers by understanding how complex systems work. Through interactive simulations, case studies from their own experiences, and hands-on projects, students discover how small changes can have big impacts, why good intentions sometimes backfire, and how to find leverage points for positive change in their communities.

Why Systems Thinking Matters for High School Students

Today's teenagers navigate increasingly complex systems daily:

• Social media platforms that shape their social interactions and self-perception
• Educational systems that determine their academic and career paths
• Economic systems affecting their job prospects and financial futures
• Environmental systems impacting their world's sustainability
• Political systems influencing their rights and opportunities

Understanding these systems helps students:

• Make better personal decisions about technology use, relationships, and goals
• Become more effective advocates for causes they care about
• Develop critical thinking skills for college and careers
• Understand why simple solutions often fail and complex problems persist
• Prepare for leadership roles in an interconnected world

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Core Systems Concepts: - Identify and map the key components of complex systems in their lives - Recognize different types of feedback loops and predict their long-term behavior - Understand how delays in systems create unintended consequences - Find leverage points where small changes can create significant impact

Real-World Applications: - Analyze current events and social issues through a systems lens - Design interventions to address problems in their school or community - Evaluate policies and solutions for potential unintended consequences - Create visual models (causal loop diagrams) to communicate complex relationships

Personal Development: - Apply systems thinking to personal goal-setting and decision-making - Understand how their individual actions connect to larger systems - Develop patience and perspective when facing complex challenges - Build collaboration skills for working on systemic solutions

Course Structure

Unit 1: Introduction to Systems Thinking (3 weeks)

Big Question: "Why don't simple solutions work for complex problems?"

Key Concepts: - What is a system? Stocks, flows, and feedback loops - Linear vs. systems thinking - The iceberg model: events, patterns, structures, mental models

Student-Relevant Examples: - Social Media Engagement: How recommendation algorithms create filter bubbles - School Stress: The interconnected factors affecting student mental health - Traffic Congestion: Why adding more lanes doesn't always reduce traffic - Friendship Drama: How conflict in friend groups spreads and escalates

Activities: - Create a "systems map" of factors affecting their academic performance - Analyze viral TikTok trends through a systems lens - Group simulation: "The Traffic Game" - experiencing unintended consequences

Unit 2: Feedback Loops and System Behavior (4 weeks)

Big Question: "Why do some problems get worse when we try to fix them?"

Key Concepts: - Reinforcing (positive) feedback loops - virtuous and vicious cycles - Balancing (negative) feedback loops - goal-seeking behavior - Delays and their impact on system behavior

Student-Relevant Examples: - Social Media Addiction: How likes and comments create reinforcing loops - Academic Performance: How confidence affects studying, which affects grades - Popularity Dynamics: Success-to-the-successful in social hierarchies - Procrastination Cycles: How avoiding work creates more stress and more avoidance - Exercise and Energy: Balancing loops in personal wellness

Activities: - Build causal loop diagrams for personal habits they want to change - Analyze case studies: "Why Anti-Bullying Programs Sometimes Make Bullying Worse" - Interactive simulation: Population dynamics and exponential growth - Create TikTok-style videos explaining feedback loops in everyday life

Unit 3: Systems Archetypes - Common Patterns (5 weeks)

Big Question: "What patterns show up again and again in different systems?"

Students explore eight systems archetypes through examples from their world:

3.1 Fixes That Fail - Example: School district banning phones to improve focus, but students become more distracted trying to secretly use devices - Example: Zero-tolerance discipline policies that increase rather than decrease behavioral problems - Student Project: Identify a "quick fix" in their school that might be creating bigger problems

3.2 Limits to Growth - Example: Instagram influencer growth hitting algorithm limitations - Example: School club that grows too fast and loses its original culture - Example: Personal overcommitment leading to burnout - Student Project: Analyze their own time management through a limits-to-growth lens

3.3 Shifting the Burden - Example: Using social media for emotional support instead of building real relationships - Example: Students relying on parents to solve problems instead of developing independence - Example: Schools focusing on test prep instead of deep learning - Student Project: Identify where they or their school might be shifting the burden

3.4 Tragedy of the Commons - Example: Shared Google Drive folders becoming disorganized - Example: School bathroom vandalism and deteriorating conditions - Example: Climate change and individual vs. collective action - Student Project: Propose solutions for a commons problem in their school

3.5 Success to the Successful - Example: College admissions advantages for students from well-resourced schools - Example: Social media algorithms favoring accounts that already have large followings - Example: Athletic programs that concentrate resources on already-successful teams - Student Project: Research and present on inequality patterns in their community

Activities: - "Archetype Detective" - find examples of each pattern in current news - Role-playing simulations for each archetype - Create Instagram/TikTok content explaining archetypes to peers - Group project: Design interventions for systems problems in their school

Unit 4: Systems Thinking Tools and Methods (3 weeks)

Big Question: "How can we better understand and communicate about complex systems?"

Key Concepts: - Systems mapping techniques - Causal loop diagrams - Leverage points (Donella Meadows' hierarchy) - Scenario planning and systems intervention design

Student-Relevant Applications: - Personal Goal Systems: Mapping all factors that affect achieving their goals - School Climate Analysis: Diagramming factors that affect school culture - Career Decision Systems: Understanding interconnected factors in college/career choices - Community Issue Mapping: Analyzing local problems through systems tools

Activities: - Learn to create professional-quality causal loop diagrams using digital tools - "Systems Consulting" project: Work with local organization to map a challenge they face - Leverage points analysis: Where can students have the most impact in their school? - Design thinking workshop: Prototype interventions using systems principles

Unit 5: Personal Applications (2 weeks)

Big Question: "How can systems thinking improve my life and relationships?"

Key Concepts: - Personal systems design - Habit formation through systems lens - Relationship dynamics as systems - Goal achievement and systems thinking

Student-Relevant Applications: - Habit Change: Using feedback loops to build positive habits - Academic Success Systems: Designing sustainable study and learning systems
- Relationship Systems: Understanding family and friend dynamics - Future Planning: College and career decisions as interconnected systems - Digital Wellness: Managing screen time and social media through systems approach

Activities: - Personal systems audit: Map their current life systems - Design experiment: Test systems-based intervention in their own life - Family systems analysis: Understand dynamics at home (with appropriate boundaries) - Create personal "systems constitution" - principles for decision-making

Unit 6: Systems Change and Leadership (3 weeks)

Big Question: "How can we create positive change in complex systems?"

Key Concepts: - Systems leadership vs. traditional leadership - Collective impact and collaboration - Policy design through systems lens - Unintended consequences and adaptive management

Student-Relevant Applications: - Student Government: How to create lasting change in school systems - Social Activism: Why systems thinking improves advocacy effectiveness - Community Organizing: Building coalitions for systemic change - Entrepreneurship: Creating businesses that address systems problems - Global Issues: Climate change, inequality, and other complex challenges

Activities: - Capstone project: Design and pitch a systems intervention for a real community challenge - "Future Leaders Panel" - Interview community leaders about systems challenges - Policy design workshop: Create student-friendly policies using systems principles - Systems thinking "TED Talk" - final presentations on course insights

Assessment Methods

Formative Assessment (60%) - Weekly reflection journals connecting course concepts to personal experiences - Interactive simulations and games with debrief discussions - Peer feedback on systems diagrams and analysis - Small group projects applying concepts to current events - Digital badges for mastering specific systems concepts

Summative Assessment (40%)
- Mid-term systems analysis: Choose a personal or school challenge and analyze through systems lens - Capstone project: Design intervention for real community systems challenge, present to authentic audience - Portfolio of causal loop diagrams created throughout course - Final reflection essay: "How Systems Thinking Changed My Perspective"

Technology Integration

Digital Tools: - Kumu or Vensim for creating professional systems maps - Loopy for simple, shareable causal loop diagrams - Flipgrid for video reflections and peer feedback - Padlet for collaborative brainstorming and idea sharing - Google Sites for building portfolio websites - GitHub Pages for building websites and tools

Social Media Integration: - Create TikTok/Instagram content explaining systems concepts - Analyze social media trends through systems lens - Use platforms as case studies for network effects and feedback loops - Digital citizenship discussions about algorithmic systems

Real-World Connections

Guest Speakers: - City planners discussing urban systems - Social entrepreneurs addressing systemic challenges
- School administrators explaining policy decisions through systems lens - Therapists or counselors discussing family systems - Environmental scientists analyzing ecosystem dynamics

Field Experiences: - Visit local organizations applying systems thinking - Attend city council meetings to observe governance systems - Partner with elementary schools to teach systems concepts to younger students - Collaborate with local nonprofits on community systems challenges

Community Partnerships: - Work with student government on school systems improvements - Partner with environmental groups on local sustainability challenges - Collaborate with social justice organizations on equity issues - Connect with business incubators supporting systems-oriented entrepreneurs

Differentiation and Accessibility

For Advanced Learners: - Independent research projects on complex global systems - Mentorship opportunities with systems thinking professionals - Leadership roles in group projects and simulations - Advanced reading on systems theory and complexity science

For Struggling Learners: - Visual and kinesthetic activities for abstract concepts - Simplified systems maps focusing on personal experiences - Peer tutoring and collaborative learning opportunities - Alternative assessment options (video, art, presentations) - Extra support for technical diagram creation

Universal Design: - Multiple representation formats for all content - Flexible grouping and collaboration options
- Choice in project topics and formats - Culturally responsive examples and case studies - Accommodations for diverse learning needs

Materials and Resources

Required Textbook: Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella Meadows (selected chapters, with study guides)

Supplementary Resources: - TED Talks on systems thinking and complexity - Case study library with high-school relevant examples - Interactive online simulations (PopulationEd, Climate Interactive) - Documentary excerpts on systems challenges - Podcast episodes from Freakonomics, Planet Money, and 99% Invisible

Student-Created Resources: - Peer-developed case study database - Student-made instructional videos - Collaborative systems maps and diagrams - Podcast episodes created by students

Prerequisites and Preparation

Student Prerequisites: - Algebra I (for understanding exponential growth and basic mathematical relationships) - World History or equivalent (for understanding complex social systems) - Basic digital literacy for creating diagrams and presentations

Recommended but not required: - Psychology or sociology course (helpful for understanding human behavior systems) - Environmental science (provides natural systems examples) - Economics (offers economic systems perspective)

Course Philosophy and Approach

This course embraces several key pedagogical principles:

Student-Centered Learning: All examples and applications connect to teenagers' lived experiences, interests, and concerns. Rather than abstract theory, we start with problems students actually face.

Constructivist Approach: Students build understanding through hands-on activities, simulations, and real-world applications rather than passive lecture consumption.

Social Learning: Extensive collaboration, peer feedback, and group problem-solving mirror how systems change actually happens in the real world.

Growth Mindset: Emphasis on systems thinking as a learnable skill set, with explicit instruction in metacognition and reflection.

Authentic Assessment: Projects connect to real community challenges and audience beyond the teacher, preparing students for civic engagement.

Digital Age Skills: Integration of technology tools and social media literacy while maintaining focus on fundamental thinking skills.

Expected Outcomes

Students completing this course will be better prepared for:

College Success: - Critical thinking skills valued across disciplines - Ability to see connections between different fields of study - Research and analysis capabilities for complex topics - Collaboration and communication skills

Career Readiness: - Problem-solving approaches valued by employers - Leadership skills for complex organizational challenges - Innovation and entrepreneurship mindset - Adaptability in changing systems

Civic Engagement: - Informed participation in democratic processes - Effective advocacy for causes they care about - Understanding of policy implications and trade-offs - Preparation for community leadership roles

Personal Development: - Better decision-making in relationships and goals - Resilience when facing complex challenges
- Empathy and perspective-taking abilities - Sustainable approaches to personal wellness and success

This course prepares students not just to understand their world, but to actively improve it through thoughtful, systems-informed action.