Teaching Energy Metabolism Using Everyday Foods:

A Potentially Meaningful Teaching Unit for Youth and Adult Education y metabolism

Abstract

Teaching about energy metabolism in high school is often considered complex and difficult to understand. Therefore, this study aimed to apply and evaluate a didactic sequence based on a potentially meaningful teaching unit, using an active methodology where students relate everyday foods to energy metabolism. This work was applied to third-year high school students in the Youth and Adult Education program in Governador Valadares, MG. The method used was developed in 8 stages, the first being the definition of the topic. The following stages involved the application of the didactic sequence with experimental classes using science and computer labs. The final stage of the potentially meaningful teaching unit was a comprehensive evaluation. Students were assessed individually and collectively. Qualitatively, the result was satisfactory, as students participated throughout the sequence, asking questions and giving their opinions after each discovery. In the quantitative assessment, the scores for the initial and final concept maps were 38.78 ± 19.74 and 73.46 ± 23.94, respectively, with a p-value < 0.001. This teaching sequence made it possible to verify that the understanding of basic concepts related to energy metabolism was enhanced. We can conclude that this teaching sequence contributed to improving students' understanding of energy metabolism, and is suitable for assisting in the learning of topics considered complex by students.