A disciplina Ciências Físicas e Biológicas e sua contribuição para a qualidade de vida

Abstract

This research was carried out to analyze possible consequences of formal learning, in a public grade school of the town Mirante do Paranapanema-SP, in the discipline Physical and Biological Sciences, on the part of eight-grade pupils (nowadays the ninth grade) attending Grade School Cycle II, concerning the food intake and quality of life of the pupils respective families. It is a qualitative research comprising 20 pupils of the grade at issue and their families; three teachers and three managers of that school; a doctor providing care at the health unit of the district where the school is located. The collecting of data was made by means of informal observations which were, subsequently, developed in a systematic way, with registrations in a logbook , in which commentaries, occasional facts, sidebar chats, and events involving participants were recorded. Besides such observations, interviews were held. The results showed that the very fact that the pupils studied the discipline Physical and Biological Sciences, at the eight grade of Grade School, does not have meaningful implications concerning their families food intake habits and health care. One found out that, within the researched universe at issue, TV is their main reference as source of information about health and food intake. To review communication with its pupils and respective families, may be perhaps the course to be followed by the school so that its teachings become more meaningful.