This article discusses some contributions that ethnographic research can give to be understood the changes proceedings in curriculum which had been done in different educational systems. The possibilities of this kind of educational research is discussed by the analysis of the results obtained from the studies done as part of the activities of the project named "Recriando Histórias de Pinhais", which was developed according to the Technical Cooperation agreement made between the Universidade Federal do Paraná and Prefeitura Municipal de Pinhais, in 1997. This research was directed for the historical knowledge which will be taught in initial grades of Escola Fundamental. The work shows some forms that the women teachers construct and articulate the knowledge and the practices in their daily work. This way the research explains some principles that can contribute for the debate about the production and the evaluation process of curriculum propositions.
curriculum; ethnographic research; historical knowledge