The life cycle of Pieris rapae (cabbage white butterfly) in early childhood education as a gateway to the training of future researchers: an investigative teaching experience with an interdisciplinary approach

Inquiry-based teaching has stood out as an effective methodological approach to scientific literacy, promoting the development of students' autonomy and critical thinking. Based on Dewey’s (1938) concepts of experiential learning and Piaget’s (1976) cognitive development theory, as well as Vygotsky’s (1998) emphasis on social interaction in learning, this study investigated the application of this methodology in elementary education through the observation of the Pieris rapae life cycle. The practical experience enabled students to formulate hypotheses and collect information throughout the investigation, restructuring their prior knowledge and becoming active participants in the learning process. The results support previous studies (Clement et al., 2015; Santos et al., 2022), demonstrating that the inquiry-based approach not only enhances students' autonomous motivation but also increases engagement and scientific understanding through a structured investigative spiral. The bibliometric analysis reinforced the need for further research on the application of inquiry-based teaching in different educational contexts. It is concluded that this methodology contributes to building a solid foundation for training future researchers and strengthening interdisciplinary science education.