STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING PLANT EVOLUTION

Abstract

The teaching of Botany can be significantly enriched by playful approaches, such as games, which make the learning process more dynamic and engaging. Educational games not only facilitate knowledge construction but also encourage active student participation, bringing them closer to a deeper understanding of scientific discourse. This active methodology plays a crucial role in overcoming the typical difficulties associated with teaching plant evolution, a subject that encompasses complex and often abstract concepts. In this context, this study proposes the use of the board game "Journey of the Plants" as an innovative didactic tool for teaching plant evolution. The game features cards with different difficulty levels, markers, and dice that illustrate the distinct evolutionary phases of plants—from bryophytes to angiosperms. The dynamics of the game favor logical reasoning, collaboration among students, and argumentation, promoting the integration of cognitive and social aspects. The results suggest that the game is effective in increasing student engagement and facilitating the understanding of evolutionary concepts, making them more concrete and accessible. Additionally, it contributes to the development of important skills, such as problem-solving and teamwork. Playful activities like this also create a more welcoming and stimulating environment, which aids in content retention and encourages student ownership of the learning process. Therefore, it is concluded that playful methodologies, such as the "Journey of the Plants" game, have great potential to innovate Botany teaching, making it more interactive and contextualized. Despite the challenges of planning and adaptation, these strategies offer a transformative educational experience, aligned with both the students' needs and the enhancement of Science education.