JOGOS EDUCATIVOS PARA O ENSINO DA PALEONTOLOGIA NO CONTEXTO GEOGRÁFICO DE MATO GROSSO DO SUL

Abstract

and the Brazilian territory itself, is still little addressed in educational institutions, especially in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, where there is important fossil heritage. This work highlights the popularization of knowledge about regional Paleontology through the use of educational games. The research consisted of a bibliographic study on paleontological content and playful teaching methodologies, followed by the creation of six games: two board games and four card games. The games cover the concepts of Eons, Eras, and Geological Periods, the diet of dinosaurs and Brazilian megafauna, as well as the importance of preserving paleontological sites through environmental education. The proposal was structured with lesson plans specifically designed for each game, aiming at their application in both formal and non-formal educational institutions. The results indicate that educational games are effective tools to promote active, playful, and contextualized learning, sparking students’ interest in the content and fostering student protagonism. Furthermore, the approach contributes to valuing the paleontological heritage of Mato Grosso do Sul, integrating the fields of Natural Sciences and Human Sciences in an interdisciplinary manner.