Aulas de campo: uma abordagem investigativa sobre os insetos em diferentes contextos

Abstract

Currently, teaching and learning strategies value students’ active stance, their prior knowledge and the meaningful construction of knowledge. In this context, field trips stand out as an effective methodology, as they promote direct exploration of the environment, stimulate curiosity and integrate theory and practice. This approach is especially relevant for teaching the Insecta Class in urban environments, allowing for contextualized and investigative learning. Insects, characterized by three pairs of legs, a body divided into head, thorax and abdomen, a pair of antennae and up to two pairs of wings, play fundamental ecological roles in the balance of ecosystems. The study of this group, combined with investigative practices, promotes scientific literacy and the development of skills such as observation, analysis and argumentation. This proposal is in line with the National Common Curricular Base, which values skills such as critical thinking, communication and creativity. The methodology used is participatory and flexible, and can be applied in different school settings, given the wide distribution of insects. The main objective was to promote the teaching of the Insecta Class through field lessons based on scientific investigation in different environments, focusing on students in the 2nd year of high school at a public school in Abreu e Lima, Pernambuco. The activities took place in three locations: classrooms, school grounds, and the Caetés Ecological Station (PE), a unit dedicated to nature conservation. The planning included surveying students’ preconceptions, using questionnaires, and developing investigative scripts. The didactic sequence ensured unity between the stages, maintaining clear and consistent objectives. The first field lesson took place in the school environment, where students explored the site and observed the insects present, relating their occurrence to local environmental conditions. In the second stage, traps were set up to capture insects, expanding the understanding of biodiversity and allowing for more detailed observation of the specimens. The last activity took place at the Caetés Ecological Station, enabling a comparison between the diversity of insects in the two environments. The experience culminated in seminars and videos produced by the students themselves, in addition to the creation of a teaching guide that documents all the stages of the process. This material serves as a pedagogical resource for teachers who wish to adopt similar practices. The results showed that the field classes provided practical, contextualized and engaged learning, strengthening the students' relationship with the environment. Direct experience with insects in different contexts favored the development of environmental and scientific awareness, reinforcing the importance of biodiversity conservation.