Concepções de estudantes sobre dinossauros: um estudo na educação básica de Picuí - PB.

Abstract

Paleontology, by dealing with a mysterious and somewhat unknown reality, arouses fascination in many people. The interest associated with little scientific divulgation on this theme maintain myths, conceptual errors and spontaneous conceptions both in children and adults. It becomes necessary a greater insertion of paleontological topics in science and biology teaching, since the Northeast region presents a great importance for the study of Brazilian paleontology. This research paper, with qualitative nature, studied the conceptions of students from the basic education (5th and 9th grade from Ensino Fundamental and 3th grade from Ensino Médio) about paleontological themes, especially the fossils and dinosaurs. The data collection was made through questionnaires realized by students from different grades. It was possible to perceive through the content analyses, that although there are problems which makes the teaching and learning of paleontology in the basic education difficult, the students presents different knowledge about these theme which mixes common sense, fantasies and science. We intended that, from the results of this research, it can be built teaching strategies that promote the learning of paleontology with a scientific and criticism view.