Uso do jogo Brincatomia como ferramenta pedagógica jogo para o ensino de ciências nos anos finais do ensino fundamental

Abstract

Teaching the human body in middle school requires pedagogical strategies that make scientific content more accessible, contextualized, and meaningful for students. Topics related to the morphology and functioning of organ systems, although closely connected to students’ everyday experiences, may become abstract when addressed only through expository practices centered on memorization. In this context, educational games emerge as methodological possibilities capable of promoting student participation, peer interaction, and the review of concepts in a playful manner guided by pedagogical intentionality. This study evaluated the pedagogical effectiveness of the board game BRINCATOMIA as a teaching resource for Science education on the human body in the 6th grade of middle school. This is a mixed- methods study with a quasi-experimental design, developed through stages of game design, validation, and classroom application. The validation process involved specialists from different fields, who evaluated aspects related to clarity, relevance, language, appearance, functionality, and pedagogical applicability of the material. The classroom application was conducted with two classes organized into a control group, which received dialogued expository lessons, and an intervention group, which received dialogued expository lessons associated with the use of BRINCATOMIA. Conceptual learning was examined through pre- and post-tests, with within-group and between-group comparisons. To further understand the students’ experience, structured interviews were conducted with volunteer students who participated in the intervention, and their responses were analyzed qualitatively. The results indicated statistically significant improvement in both groups, with superior post-test performance in the intervention group, suggesting an additional effect of the game when integrated into classroom instruction. In the qualitative strand, students associated the BRINCATOMIA experience with advantages related to collaborative learning, peer interaction, communication, motivation, and the perception of “learning while playing.” Conversely, operational challenges emerged, including noise, distraction, isolated conflicts, and limitations of physical space, indicating the need for agreed-upon rules, classroom organization, and teacher mediation to sustain pedagogical intentionality. It is concluded that BRINCATOMIA, when articulated with teaching practice, can enhance immediate learning gains and foster more participatory classroom conditions, although its effects depend on planning, pedagogical management, and adaptation to the school context. This research contributes to the teaching of morphofunctional sciences by proposing, validating, and applying a teaching strategy aimed at supporting the learning of knowledge about the morphology and functioning of the human body from Basic Education onward, expanding the possibilities of connection between scientific knowledge, pedagogical practice, and school education.