Esmaltes na Química Orgânica: sequência didática para o Ensino Médio

Abstract

Science education in high school faces the challenge of connecting chemistry content to students' reality, aiming to promote interest and foster meaningful learning. In this context, choosing everyday objects as a starting point for investigation proves to be an effective strategy for bridging theory and practice, as well as stimulating curiosity and critical thinking. This work presents a didactic sequence developed for the 3rd year of high school, organized into five 50-minute classes, using nail polish as the object of scientific investigation. The proposal seeks to connect chemistry content to students' daily lives, promoting meaningful learning through contextualization, experimentation, and creative production. The theoretical framework is based on principles that value the use of generating themes as a strategy to promote active learning, the construction of didactic sequences centered on chemical reactions, the relevance of thematic workshops with cosmetics as a way to spark curiosity, the interdisciplinary approach that articulates Chemistry, Biology, and Environmental Education, and the importance of contextualization in teaching materials. The classes were organized progressively: analysis of nail polish labels and composition; identification of organic functions; investigative practice with solubility experiments; debate on sustainability and conscious consumption; and production of educational materials. The pedagogical differentiators of the proposal lie in the real-world contextualization, starting from a product familiar to the students; in the interdisciplinarity, which integrates different areas of knowledge; in the active methodology, which prioritizes investigation and creation; and in the diversified evaluation, which values reports, debates, infographics, and presentations. It is concluded that the sequence contributes to the development of scientific, investigative, and socio-environmental competencies, forming critical and conscious students about the impacts of their consumption habits and the relevance of science in their daily lives.