Ensino por investigação e alimentação saudável: uma sequência didática integrada a horta escolar

Abstract

This work presents the results of a pedagogical intervention based on Inquiry-Based Learning, carried out with 9th-grade students in a state school in the Conselheiro Lafaiete District. The overall objective was to evaluate how an investigative questionnaire and the use of everyday comparisons help students understand content about digestive physiology, metabolism, and human nutrition. The methodology, of a qualitative nature, involved a sequence of five classes that integrated theoretical discussions, analyses of nutritional labels, and the application of a questionnaire with open-ended and challenging questions. The results showed that the use of analogies created by the students themselves, such as the comparison of the "addicted charger" to explain the energy spikes caused by sugar, was fundamental to learning. The students moved away from very simple common-sense ideas and began to construct a more scientific way of thinking, managing to link the value of natural foods (such as kale and lettuce) to the proper functioning of their own bodies, without the need to simply memorize technical terms. It is concluded that the investigative questionnaire is an excellent teaching tool, as it stimulates autonomy, improves self-esteem, and transforms students into conscious and critical agents capable of making healthier food choices.