Abstract:

The study carried out an innovative didactic intervention in teaching biology to Primary School children. The goal was to a disciplinary topic that is extraneous or marginal to Primary School curricula: reproduction and human embryonic development. The contents have been appropriately adapted to the age of the children. No reference is made to sexuality, only the path to a “story of pregnancy”, with respect to culture.

In addition, the purpose for exploration was to validate the effectiveness of interactive teaching and learning, essential for teaching science to Primary School aged children. By using active and alternative methodologies for students to acquire a scientific mindset, typical of the scientific method, the start point was a communicative approach based on problem posing and solving.

A fourth grade Primary class of 22 pupils was involved in the experiment along with the “experimental group”; a sixth grade class. The sixth grade is in the same Comprehensive Institute and had already studied these topics, and were the “control group”. Data obtained in the final tests confirmed how each part of the content, suitably adapted to the children, is open to their learning.

Twenty three Primary school science teachers were involved in the project, for a survey about their teaching through specific questionnaires. 165 parents were also involved, to incorporate any of their personal opinions on the topics covered.

The results corroborate the objective of the study, confirming that each content, suitably adapted to the recipients, is easy to learn.

Keywords:

Active teaching, biology, embryonic development, gestation, primary school, reproduction.