MACRONUTRIENTS: A REGENCY WITH AN INVESTIGATIVE APPROACH

Abstract

Obesity and diabetes are currently occurring in increasingly younger age groups. These pathologies are directly related to poor nutrition. Schools, as spaces for critical learning, can offer activities that help overcome this problem. This experience report addresses a teaching sequence planned and developed within the Pedagogical Residency Program.6 The objective of this study is to describe and evaluate the teaching sequence applied to the topic of macronutrients with a third-grade class at a public high school in the state of São Paulo. The teaching consisted of three stages of two 45-minute classes. The first stage introduced the problem through a discussion of a fake news story, followed by the classification of various foods based on macronutrients. In the second stage, students constructed a food pyramid and conducted research guided by residents. In the final stage, the students presented seminars on their research, participated in a demonstration experiment, and collectively constructed a mind map based on the concepts discussed. The curriculum was developed and implemented using the Inquiry-Based Science Teaching approach, which is anchored in Piaget's understanding of how individuals construct scientific concepts, as well as in Vygotskian thought, which addresses the social interactions that occur in the classroom and are mediated by cultural tools. The results indicate improved understanding of the concepts addressed throughout the curriculum, as well as adequate student participation in all proposed activities.