Abstract:
The aim of this study on conceptual learning in science teaching is to analyze scientific inquiry based on the subject Food Education and its transfers of meaning. Initially, survey activities were conducted in order to recognize prior knowledge of students and later, ninth grade students of Elementary School had contact with a didactic sequence of five investigative activities related to the subject. Inquiry was based on National Research Council references and conducted weekly. After that, four challenging activities containing problem situations were applied in order to investigate if transfers of meaning from inquiry to the new situations occured. Comparing the data obtained, it was possible to see that students had a satisfactory performance when they had to distinguish concepts related to food, nutrients, vitamins and minerals. These were better understood than some minerals and their functions in the body.
Keywords:
Food education; Elementary school; Transfers of meaning; Inquiry; National Research Council