Laboratório de ciências e o sexto ano do ensino fundamental: compreendendo a fotossíntese

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation into the implementation of practical activities in the teaching of photosynthesis to sixth-grade students in the municipal school system of Itabirito, Minas Gerais. The study describes the reformulation of practical class plans, with an emphasis on the active participation of students in the selection of materials and in the execution of collaborative experiments, aiming to promote critical thinking, conceptual understanding and investigative involvement. The pedagogical intervention was based on a diagnosis of the school context, recognizing obstacles such as the lack of material resources and the need to bring scientific content closer to the students' reality. The methodology included activities in a science laboratory, data analysis through pre- and post-test questionnaires, and critical reflection by the teacher on their practices. The results indicate an improvement in the understanding of the phenomenon of photosynthesis, evidenced by the increase in student participation and understanding. The study reinforces the importance of active methodologies and the role of the teacher as a facilitator in the construction of scientific knowledge, contributing to the development of investigative skills and the valorization of experimental practice in the teaching-learning process in public elementary schools.