Understanding the complex nature of society and the phenomena that surround us is a necessary competence for students to become pro-active citizens and co-responsible for sustainable development. This is why Systems Thinking is a key element in the European competence framework for sustainability ‘GreenComp’ (2022). While educational tools for Systems Thinking are now widespread in English-speaking countries, experiences in Italian schools still seem rare. This article shows some results of a PhD dissertation in Education on Systems Thinking skills of middle school students. In the study, a short course designed to introduce Systems Thinking tools were tested on three classes: Behaviour Over T ime Graphs, Circle of Connections, and Stock and Flow Diagram. The study showed that the tools are easily applicable in the classroom to a variety of topics and disciplines and that they help students to understand the reality around them in a systemic and dynamic sense. Based on the experience, some suggestions for teachers and educators are proposed.
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