Teaching polymers through an experimental approach

Abstract

In the teaching of Chemistry, experimentation is a fundamental resource for the development of student learning, functioning in the classroom as a strategy, since most students consider this area very difficult and have difficulty in assimilating the contents. In this sense, the concepts of Chemistry in teaching need good strategies that approach the reality of the learner, seeking a way to bring new methodologies and innovation. This work discusses experimentation in the teaching of polymers. Polymeric materials are used in several sectors, and the presence of these materials in our daily lives is indisputable, thus making it of great importance to contextualize the subject for high school students. Thus, this work aims to highlight the contribution of experimentation in the school environment and highlight the importance of relating theory and practice in the subject of Organic Chemistry. The work was carried out in the 3rd year "A" class of High School, at the Centro de Ensino Prefeito Dionilio Gonçalves Costa school, with 25 students. The application was carried out in two stages: the first consisted of a theoretical class with the aid of teaching material that conceptualized the subject matter, and the second stage involved an experiment in which students were given a script. The results showed that the students excelled better in the content with the experimental class, assimilating theory into practice, concluding that the experimentation favored the students' knowledge, in addition to awakening motivation and interest in the content.