The environmental issue of pesticides: The problem-solving methodology in elementary school

Abstract

In this article we present an experience done in an Elementary School (ES) using the Problem-Solving Methodology (PSM). The research was developed with the participation of 21 students from the 9th grade of a state public school in the city of Porto Alegre / RS. Thus, three problems were elaborated, considering different aspects of pesticides’ environmental impact. The students were divided into three groups in order to solve these problems in a six-phase didactic sequence. This theme was chosen to contextualize the problems because Brazil is the worlds’ largest consumer of pesticides. Furthermore, pesticides can be found as a theme in some science books for ES. For the data collection, we used the researchers’ field diary, the students’ written material, and the audio recording of the classes in which the PSM was applied. The observed and collected results show that the use of the didactic sequence allowed conceptual, procedural and attitudinal learning related to the approached PSM and scientific knowledge.