How does the teaching of climate change and sustainability fit into the teaching of the traditional content and skills of the core science strands? In this article, Rosemary Hipkins responds to this question that was asked by a teacher who is concerned that complex context that dominates the narrative of teaching can cause confusion for students with low literacy or poor background knowledge, and can take time away so that teaching of content and skills has to be rushed. This article provides suggestions on how to incorporate teaching climate change and sustainability without causing confusion or leaving less room for the teaching of science skills and content.