Chemistry education has an important role in creating a sustainable path forward for humanity. By connecting chemistry education to a fuller understanding of the world, citizens and scientists will be more effective in addressing the coming complex challenges. This article presents a new approach to introducing high school chemistry that links to Earth's systems using a systems thinking framework. This structure provides students with a bridge to the larger world that makes chemistry relevant and empowering. Systems thinking concepts such as connectedness, nestedness, and feedback loops are central to this framework. Specific activities and content, using examples of human and natural systems, are introduced in the beginning of the curriculum and guide and support the entire year-long college-preparatory chemistry course content. This article provides examples of the activities used to introduce systems thinking in the context of Earth's systems.