Ensino por temas: a qualidade do ar auxiliando na construção de significados em química

Abstract

Theme-oriented Teaching: the quality of air as a means of meaning making in chemistry. This study reports on theme-oriented chemistry class experi ences based on the theme “quality of air”. Quality of Air data in Belo Horizonte provided by the Minas Gerais State Environmental Agency (FEAM/MG) were used as a starting point. The theme was presented to classes in three public school based on the premises of the movement Science, Technology and Society, STS, which seeks to promote science literacy. At first, we observed that the students had difficulty in using knowledge acquired at school to explain daily-life phenomena. However, upon the discussion of themes that are recurrent in the media and applying chemistry concepts to explain them, we observed a greater interest from the students in chemistry and a greater participation in class.