A mediação de uma intervenção didática para evolução de conceitos sobre insetos (Arthropoda: insecta) no ensino fundamental

Abstract

The aim of this work is to investigate and build a methodology proposition that contributes to the process of teaching and learning about the theme insects in science teaching. It also aims to investigate how does the conceptual evolution process about the insects happens in students from elementary level, from a didactic intervention which is, in this case, a teaching guiding activity, based on a historical and cultural perspective of human development. The interest in this subject stems from the fact that currently the insects constitute about 66% of all described animal species and they play the most diverse environmental roles. Nevertheless, the teaching of this theme in science often does not contribute to the comprehension of these animals importance. This didactic intervention proposition has been built in the intention of being in side with the theory about the concepts construction by Vygotsky. It has been mediated in a class of students aged 8 to 14 years. The interactions that happened during the mediation have been recorded and transcribed. As a result, this work defines nine episodes of interactions which were investigated by Microgenetic Analysis. As the episodes happen in the text, we can identify the evidences of concepts construction stages, following the process of conceptual evolution of the students about the central concept "insect". In this context we identified that one of the main difficulties of teaching and learning about the theme insects is the understanding of the characteristics and the conception students have about animals, not only about the insects. We conclude that the teaching guiding activity proposed favored the process of conceptual evolution and the appropriation of concepts by the students. In order to occur an adequate approach about the theme insects in elementary school, there is a need to a more specific approach on insects and their importance especially during the graduation period, since this initial period of teaching learning defines the actions of teachers in classes.