Teaching chemistry in a playful and experimental way: Proposals for elementary education in public schools

Abstract

Teaching chemistry often presents challenges, especially in the context of public education, where limited resources and a lack of infrastructure can be obstacles. However, conducting simple and accessible experiments can overcome these difficulties, allowing students to experience chemical concepts in a concrete and interactive way. Thus, the problematic question that guided the development of this work was: "how to perform experiments with these limitations?" Based on this problem, the general objective was defined: "to arouse the interest of students in the discipline, promoting a practical and dynamic approach, which stimulates active participation and meaningful learning regarding the science content of the 9th grade of Elementary School of the Darcy Ribeiro Municipal School, located in the city of Imperatriz-MA". In this work, chemistry experiments that address the basic principles of the science discipline were chosen. These experiments have been adapted to be carried out with low-cost and easily obtained materials. Topics explored included chemical reactions, properties of matter, physical states, solutions and absorption, and bases. The choice of experiments was based on the school curriculum and the ability to arouse students' curiosity. The research involved different approaches, such as bibliographic research, field research, action research, and case study. The steps included the collection of information from bibliographic sources, the elaboration of experiments according to the content of the classes taught, the creation and application of interactive activities after the class, and the combined analysis of the results. The results suggest that a class that addresses experimentation possibly contributed to the development of a reflective and critical posture on the part of students, in addition to promoting a broader and more integrated understanding of the science subject.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2024.003-038