The paper examines aspects related to curriculum meanings produced in the school Science subject from the 1950's to the 1970's: (i) national and international policies that influenced Brazilian education, (ii) curriculum changes that occurred in a context of a 'renewal movement', and (iii) curricular activities expressed in textbooks. Based on socio-historical studies in the field of curriculum and particularly on school subjects, we understand 'innovations' as resulting from tensions between what is traditional and what is 'new'. From this perspective, we argue that the introduction of ecological contents in school science during the 1970's was a curriculum 'innovation' that dialogues with already existing 'traditions'. Considering textbooks as part of 'tradition inventions', we conclude that the curriculum materials of Paulo Maurício Silva and Sebastião Rodrigues Fontinha Filho show the ecological contents as influences of hegemonic patterns.
Science teaching; Curriculum; History of School Subjects; Ecology