GHOU in BrazilGHOU in BrazilMaria de Fátima SaraivaMaria de Fátima Saraiva

GHOU 2009 – Porto Alegre – RS GHOU 2009 – Porto Alegre – RS BrazilBrazil

The beginning…The beginning…

GTTP session in Porto GTTP session in Porto AlegreAlegre

11stst GTTP session in South America GTTP session in South America 14 teachers (12 basic education, 2 14 teachers (12 basic education, 2

superior) and 6 undergraduate superior) and 6 undergraduate students trained by 11 instructorsstudents trained by 11 instructors

Who are the basic Who are the basic education teachers:education teachers:

7 professional master students (IF-7 professional master students (IF-UFRGS)UFRGS)

2 private school teachers2 private school teachers 1 federal institute teacher1 federal institute teacher 2 public school teachers2 public school teachers

Participant originParticipant origin (except instructors)(except instructors) Rio Grande do Sul: 19Rio Grande do Sul: 19 Espírito Santo: 1Espírito Santo: 1 São Paulo: 1São Paulo: 1 Chile: 2 Chile: 2 Other South American countries:0Other South American countries:0

Public schools in BrazilPublic schools in Brazil Low salariesLow salaries Teachers poorly prepared Teachers poorly prepared Internet connections almost nonexistentInternet connections almost nonexistent Very few computers (but the federal Very few computers (but the federal

government is distributing computers to government is distributing computers to the schools, and aims to give one the schools, and aims to give one computer to each student)computer to each student)

Astronomy in the Astronomy in the basic basic school curriculumschool curriculum

Organizational Organizational structure structure of basic of basic

educationeducationDurationDuration AgeAge

Children’s education Children’s education 2 years 2 years 4 - 54 - 5

Fundamental education Fundamental education (compulsory) (compulsory)

9 years9 years 6 - 146 - 14

Secondary educationSecondary education 3 years3 years 15 – 17 15 – 17

National Curriculum Parameters for Fundamental Education

Contents

PortugueseMajor subjects

1st – 2nd cycles(1st – 4th grades)

Thematicaxes

Math

Natural Sciences History Geography Arts Foreign

LanguagePhysics

Education

Cycles3rd – 4th cycles(5th – 8th grades)

Human being & Health

Earth and Universe

Environment Technology & Society

Life & Environment

Moon phases Telescopes

ConstellationsSeasons

Solar system

National Curriculum Parameters for Secondary Education

Fields of Knowledge

StructuralThemes

Thematic Unities

Mathematics and Nature SciencesHuman

Sciences

Languages

Biology Chemistry

Universe, Earth

and Life

Movements Matter andRadiationElectricity

SoundHeat and Energy

Physics

Earth and Solar System

Human comprehension of the UniverseThe universe and its origin

Despite the recommendations of the Despite the recommendations of the PCN’s, most schools fails to adopt PCN’s, most schools fails to adopt Astronomy in their curriculum, Astronomy in their curriculum, mainly because of the lack of mainly because of the lack of knowledge of Astronomy on the part knowledge of Astronomy on the part of teachers.of teachers.

(but there are many brilliant (but there are many brilliant exceptions…)exceptions…)