The use of problematization methodology in environmental education in elementary school science classes

This paper presents the results of a project conducted in two public state schools in the municipality of Jataí–GO, aimed at exploring the connections between biological sciences, the environment, health, sustainable development, and society, using problematization as a strategy for raising awareness about environmental issues. In each school, two classes from the sixth grade of elementary school were randomly selected one working with both theory and practice, and the other with theory only. In all four classes, an open-ended questionnaire and a closed-ended questionnaire were applied at the beginning and end of the project to assess the students' environmental attitudes. The students described their experiences, their conceptions, as well as their interest in and the importance they attached to the topics covered. In the classes where both theory and practice were integrated, workshops, practical activities, and discussions were carried out. The observations made allow us to affirm that traditional teaching methods, based on textbooks, still prevail. However, the better performance of the classes with practical lessons highlighted the importance of bringing students closer to the "object of study" through more dynamic pedagogical techniques, such as field studies and debates, among others, linking scientific knowledge with students' everyday realities.