We aimed at understanding and identifying environmental sensitivities and conceptions of nature crystallized in textbooks of Natural History that circulated in Brazilian schools from 1934 to 1971. The work is located in the search field of History of Education and is specifically focused on the story of a school subject. 77 Natural History textbooks were selected and cataloged. Specifically speaking, we seek to understand if the books assimilated widespread ecological thoughts by many intellectuals and scientists who took the question of "nature protection" in the historical period investigated. The books identified and analyzed were found at the National Library (Rio de Janeiro), at the Library of Textbooks College of Education at the University of São Paulo (USP), in public schools and libraries in several sites available on the internet. The research methodology was based on the historical method of investigation, and theoretical and methodological approaches for the History of Education History and Environment.
Natural History; environmental sensitivity; conceptions of nature; textbooks