Ecologia da Dengue e o ensino de Biologia: uma proposta didática para o ensino fundamental

Abstract

Health education is essential for promoting healthy behaviors and preventing diseases. Integrating health topics into the curriculum, through active methodologies and innovative teaching resources, enhances students' knowledge and encourages attitudinal changes with a lasting impact on the community. This study investigated the impact of an innovative didactic sequence on the ecology of Dengue and other arboviruses on the knowledge and preventive practices of 120 students aged between 11 and 12 years, from the 6th grade of Elementary School at Escola Estadual Dr. José Gonçalves. Using active methodologies and playful resources, the approach included interactive virtual tools, questionnaires, field research, creation of educational materials, and educational games. The project was developed in stages, integrating investigative and practical activities, and employed digital tools to introduce the topic and assess learning. Students participated in the creation of educational games and used a virtual environment to deepen their knowledge about Dengue. They carried out awareness activities, such as producing posters and promoting actions to combat mosquito breeding grounds at school. The results showed a significant increase in students' understanding of the life cycle of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the symptoms of arboviruses, and attitudinal changes in preventive measures and combat against breeding grounds. The research highlights the potential of participatory and contextualized health education, combined with the use of digital resources and playful activities, to promote behavioral changes and build healthier environments, to contribute to the prevention and control of these diseases in the school environment and the community.