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- The microorganisms in the Portuguese national curriculum and primary school text booksPublication . Mafra, Paulo; Lima, NelsonThe main aim of the present work is the content analysis of the Portuguese National Curriculum and the Primary School textbooks where microorganisms are concerned. The content analysis through categories created a priori were used as methodology. In all analysed documents the topic microorganisms did not emerge in a clear way. However, several indirect themes related to microorganisms were found in the National Curriculum and textbooks of the Environment Study issue. These themes can be explored with pupils through experimental activities. The Science Education in primary schools can be introduced with proposals of activities involving microorganisms and contributing to a better understanding of the children’s world.
- Experimental activities in primary school to learn about microbes in a oral health education contextPublication . Mafra, Paulo; Lima, Nelson; Carvalho, Graça S. deExperimental science activities in primary school enable important cross-curricular learning. In this study, experimental activities on microbiology were carried out by 16 pupils in a Portuguese grade-4 classroom (9–10 years old) and were focused on two problem-questions related to microbiology and health: (1) do your teeth carry microbes? (2) why should you brush your teeth after meals? To solve problem-question (1), children’s samples of dental plaque were prepared and observed under the microscope. For question (2), culture medium plates were inoculated with children’s dental plaque either before or after tooth brushing and the colonies were counted. Results showed that pupils easily recognised the presence of microorganisms in the mouth and veri!ed the effectiveness of the process of teeth-brushing. Pupils understood that microorganisms were potentially responsible for the onset of den- tal caries. These practical activities on microbiology in primary school were very effective in ensuring young children easily understand the causes of dental caries and how they can be prevented. Pupils became aware that the act of brushing their teeth is not only a socially correct behaviour or a simple rule to meet, but also a matter of preventing illness and promoting health.
- Primary school health education: how children can learn about microbes and hand hygienePublication . Mafra, Paulo; Lima, Nelson; Carvalho, Graça S. deIn a technologically advanced and globalizing world, it is necessary to adjust the curricula and teaching methodologies so that scientific training can be applied to the real and current situations of pupils’ personal and social lives, thus contributing to improving their scientific literacy. The experimental teaching of science allows a better understanding of the children’s world. Primary school children’s natural curiosity is a gateway for better learning about microorganisms. Experimental primary school teaching of microbiology, focusing on hand hygiene, was implemented in this study. This practical activity was developed in Bragança, Portugal, with 16 pupils enrolled in the 4th year of primary school, by addressing the problem-question: “Why should you wash your hands before meals?” The results showed that pupils had come to recognize that they had bacteria on their hands and had verified the effectiveness of the handwashing process. It was concluded that this activity can help children, as early as the primary school, through an autonomous and responsible manner, to understand the importance of handwashing, so that they see this procedure as not being just a socially correct behaviour or a simple rule to fulfil.