Recent research has demonstrated that Science textbooks have a determining role in curricular organization and that teachers use them to compose their classes, activities, and exams. The National Programs for High School Curriculum Parameters (PCNEM) has infuenced Brazilian education since 1999, bringing updated concepts of Biology and genetics, including themes such as transgenics, gene therapy, cloning, stem cell and paternity testing into the curriculum. The teaching of High School is challenging because of the need to contemplate both classic and modern knowledge within a historical context that simultaneously discusses appealing social themes. The current study analyzed how up-to-date the current High School textbooks are, using the Biology as a model. The themes included in the so-called New Biology was analyzed because they are essential to a good understanding of modern concepts of great social significance. The results suggest that the current textbooks are not up-to-date concerning the themes considered essential for perfect understanding and acquisition of suitable information which is part of the fast progress of knowledge in the area of New Biology and need reformulation and updating, through the introduction of current modern themes that promote conceptual change.
didactic book; new biology; High School teaching