Animais da Amazônia: uma abordagem ilustrativa para os anos finais do ensino fundamental

Abstract

The study of animal species belonging to the amazonian wildlife and the conservation of biodiversity, in terms of teaching and learning in basic education, still occurs in an incipient manner. This is because in science curricula, many teachers highlight animals from more distant regions, and many students still do not understand what the Amazon is as a biome, with its native species and territorial extension. The objective of this research was to understand how illustrative resources of animals native to the Amazon region, in elementary school, contribute to learning about local animal species, biodiversity conservation, and the risk of extinction of species in this region. The illustrative material, developed in the research, is aimed at the final years of elementary school and consists of ten technical data sheets on animals of the Amazon. In the context of teaching, learning, and research, the study identifies and characterizes the ideas of 40 seventh-grade students from a public school in the city of Belém, state of Pará, about the Amazon biome, the animals native to the region, and the conservation of threatened species. The data for this research were collected through an initial questionnaire, student work produced during the approach (didactic-pedagogical mediation), and a final questionnaire. The results after didactic-pedagogical mediation showed significant improvements in knowledge of the students' own space, region, culture, fauna, among others. I highlight the contribution of this study to the appreciation of amazonian biodiversity through illustrated technical data sheets. Certainly, because students take the lead in their knowledge about the territory and local biodiversity, developing their own thoughts about conservation throughout their cognitive construction.