Teaching the Venomous Animals Theme in Basic Education

Abstract

Addressing the topic “venomous animals” in the classroom can cause difficulties for the Science and Biology teacher. It is common to think that venomous animals must be eliminated from the environment for causing accidents and even the death of human beings. In this context, there is a need for Science and Biology professors to use appropriate methodologies so that knowledge about these animals is significant and enables an understanding of the conservation of these animals, as well as the prevention of accidents. Thus, the objectives of the study were to identify the approach used by Science and Biology professors on the subject of venomous animals in Elementary and High Schools and the didactic resources used in this approach. For this, a questionnaire built on the Google forms platform was used. It was evident that 94.3% of teachers address the theme among the contents worked and, in this approach, the most reported taxa were snakes, followed by scorpions and spiders. Most teachers indicated biodiversity and the role of these animals in the ecosystem as approaches used. The most reported teaching strategy was through videos and documentaries, followed by textbooks. The teachers unanimously reported that the classes involving the subject of venomous animals and their ecological importance can help prevent accidents or the death of animals. Thus, the importance of this subject to be approached with quality in the classroom in basic education is highlighted.