Introduzindo práticas experimentais no estudo preparatório para as olimpíadas de química no projeto da capes no ensino médio das escolas públicas.

Abstract

Higher Education Personal Improvement Coordination - CAPES - supports the National Olympics of Chemistry Program, offering courses for students that are members of the public education network in the Brazilian states. These courses help prepare for the Olympic exams, also improving students' knowledge in chemistry for the ‘vestibular’ and ‘The National Secondary Education Examination - Enem’ exams and increase the student performance at school. This study sought to use experimental tools in the Chemistry Olympics, aiming to enhance learning in lectures. This study was divided into four stages: a preliminary assessment of high school students' knowledge of the subject "acid and bases", made through an initial questionnaire with objective and subjective questions; two Theoretical classes; two experimental classes using a practical manual produced during the project and finally an evaluation addressing the subject studied which aimed to assess students' knowledge after the introduction of practical classes. By analyzing the results it was observed that the participation of students in practical classes made it the more interesting and fun, improving understanding and increasing curiosity about the subject studied. The results also showed that students had a significant improvement in performance and learning and that experiments should to be used to complement the teaching of Chemistry in the classroom. Even if schools do not have laboratories and good infrastructure it is still possible to bring the experiments into the classroom.