Da joia à bijuteria, uma viagem ao mundo da química

Abstract

An analysis of the Basic Education Development Index (IDEB) in the state of Rio de Janeiro in 2019 revealed that it presented the lowest performance among the states in the Southeast region of Brazil. Regarding Chemistry education, this low achievement appears to be mainly associated with studest’s lack of interest in content-centered teaching approaches, in which the teacher assumes the role of the sole knowledge holder and central figure in the classroom. In this context, the present work proposes the development of a didactic tool containing everyday examples with a focus on Chemistry, aiming to support Chemistry teachers in their classes by promoting greater student engagement and improved understanding of chemical phenomena. To this end, the instructional material produced an e-book discusses the electrochemical processes involved in the production and use of costume jewelry, while also providing more comprehensive content on these topics, including mineral extraction, metallic bonding, and the general chemical properties of these accessories. The final material was developed with the collaboration of high school Chemistry teachers, based on their responses to a qualitativequantitative questionnaire. As a result of their contributions, both visual and content-related adjustments were made. Additionally, the material demonstrated potential to enhance student engagement and contribute to more effective learning in secondary education, as teachers expressed interest in adopting it in their teaching practice. It is concluded that the e-book produced represents an innovative and useful tool for Chemistry learning in basic education.