Laboratório Vivo : a horta como espaço de vivência e experiências para o ensino de botânica na Escola Estadual Dr. Antonio de Souza, Parnamirim/RN

Abstract

Botany teaching in Brazilian schools faces several challenges, including the lack of teacher knowledge, student disinterest, inadequate school infrastructure, insufficient contextualization of topics with students' daily lives, and difficulties in making the study meaningful and relevant. These challenges contribute to the exacerbation of "Botanical Imprecision," where both students and teachers show disinterest in studying plants, making the teaching-learning process tedious, meaningless, and inefficient. This study aims to develop the school garden as a "Living Laboratory" focused on botany education, using an investigative teaching-learning approach. The research was conducted from August 2023 to December 2023 at the Escola Estadual Técnica e em Tempo Integral Dr. Antônio de Souza in Parnamirim-RN, involving a class in the "Formative Workshop" component with first-year high school students. The investigative approach was qualitative and falls under the category of Interventional Research (IR). The project was developed through an Investigative Didactic Sequence (IDS) divided into three thematic axes, covering factual, conceptual, procedural, and attitudinal learning content. The results demonstrate that the Living Laboratory is effective in promoting meaningful and engaging learning, developing socioemotional skills, and increasing students' critical awareness. It also highlights the importance of non-formal learning spaces in valuing plants and recognizing their significance for a healthy diet. The research identified challenges such as students' difficulties in following experimental protocols and the need for increased teacher support during activities. The Living Laboratory proved to be a useful tool in preventing "Botanical Imprecision" and reshaping plant education. At the end of the project, a Didactic Guide was created based on the Investigative Didactic Sequence (IDS) developed during the research.