Through the theoretical frames of the Multimodal representations and the Theory of Meaningful Learning, this paper aims to identify how high school students, using images and verbal representations, build the biotechnology concept. The data were obtained during the development of theoretical and practical activities on the theme transgenics. It was possible to categorize different levels of signification in each mode of representation in distinct moments of using the data gathering instruments. As partial results this article shows that the interaction among the levels of signification given is directly linked to the representational mode, but the verbal-oral mode allows that the student operates more easily among the levels of signification.
Biotechnology; multimodal representations; levels of signification.