The Deepwater Horizon explosion on April 20, 2010, and the subsequent release of oil into the Gulf of Mexico created an ecological disaster of immense proportions. The estimates of the amounts of oil, whether for the amount released per day or the total amount of oil disgorged from the well, call on numbers so large they defy the capacity of most students' comprehension. One way to help students comprehend this disaster in meaningful ways is to adopt a systems-thinking approach by which the various effects and interactions can be mapped coherently. A systems-thinking approach will help students grasp the impacts of the oil spill and can also empower them to ask questions and focus on meaningful ways to learn more about this and other environmental incidents. (Contains 5 figures.)