Abstract:

Experiment in science, by providing learning from an interdisciplinary perspective, allows us to understand the world as a whole. The inquiry-based science education provides to children the capacity to work in group, with mutual respect and tolerance, as well as skills and attitudes inherent in the science education. Experiment in science through social constructivist learning leads to the acquisition and development of a scientific literacy that involves skills, attitudes and values that contribute to the formation of citizens capable of dealing with everyday scientific aspects. The scientific community recognizes the importance of playfulness activity as essential to the growth and development of human kind, but cannot be seen only as entertainment.

The playfulness provides a voluntary and pleasant behaviour, facilitating the socialization process, knowledge construction, and can be applied, appropriately, in various age groups. The playfulness used as a strategy in the science experimentation, is an excellent opportunity to provide environments that facilitate learning in science and the integral development of students.

Because of its potential to develop interdisciplinary, the activities that apply science experiment can be an effective way of articulating different methodologies, contents, skills and attitudes. Thus, it is a precious strategy that facilitates the curricular approximation between the different levels of education, enabling the creation of spaces for exchange between different levels of education, so that the transitions between them become more harmonious to the students and promote the sequentially of the teaching and learning process.

The in-service training of teachers that integrates preschool and primary teachers reveals a favourable context for the meeting, discussion and reflection of curricular articulation of science education integrated in other areas of knowledge, as well as putting into practice activities of curricular articulation in the transition between the different levels of education.

This article presents the reflexive analysis of a strategy of science teaching through the inquiry-based science education, of curricular articulation between pre-school and the primary school, within the framework of in-service training of teachers. The main objectives of this training course were: to develop procedural skills to implement playfulness activities oriented to the action and participation of the students with intentionality to learn science; to develop knowledge and procedural skills in the experimental problem solving in science; to operationalize practical activities that promote a smooth transition of the students between the different educational cycles.

The subjects that have been developed are included in the curriculum of the kindergarten and the primary school, which involved interdisciplinary aspects between science, mathematics, arts and portuguese, as light and color, primary and secondary colors, volume measurements and color saturation. They applied scientific vocabulary, predicting, experimental procedures, and analysis of the results. In addition friendship, sharing, trust and respect were also explored. The impact of the project on the children was evaluated through the analysis of content of field notes, observation grids and the satisfaction evaluation in the final of the activities, as well as the reflexive analysis of the educators and teachers involved.

Keywords:

Science experiment, playful learning, curricular articulation, preschool education, primary education, in-service training of teachers.