Abstract:

Although it is universally accepted and, indeed, required from the European Commission that students should be active protagonists in the construction of own knowledge through the use of active methodologies that, in Sciences are as close as possible to the research methods of scientific discoveries, in schools too often contents of the scientific disciplines are presented by teachers in the form of a lecture, in which students participate passively, gradually losing interest in a discipline for which they initially show great enthusiasm, and without internalizing any useful content for their lifelong learning. To revive the interest in the discipline and the motivation towards the study of science, both in teachers and in pupils, it is necessary to abandon the transmission approach, which gives superficial knowledge and does not increase metacognition. From this background the present research intended pursue two experimental hypotheses. The first hypothesis was to confirm the validity of a laboratory approach and the application of the scientific method in the teaching of biology, compared to the use of more traditional modalities, such as frontal lecture or group work based on texts. The second hypothesis checked whether it is possible and effective to treat in Primary school the circulatory system in vertebrates and invertebrates, inserting aspects that are usually treated only in Secondary school: comparative anatomy and histology (with the use of the optical microscope). The research involved two fourth classes of a Primary school in the north-east of Italy: one was used as an experimental group, where didactics was made using the laboratory method, with the observation of various biological materials and histological preparations of the circulatory system, belonging to different species, while the other one as a control group. The results showed how it is possible and effective to use the laboratory approach in Primary school, also teaching topics such as comparative anatomy and histology. In fact, this approach makes the children feel involved and made participants in the construction of their knowledge, which is extremely significant in order to increase motivation and, consequently, enthusiasm and interest in the discipline.

Keywords:

Circulatory system, comparative anatomy, histology, laboratory approach, primary school, scientific method.