STRAWBERRY DNA EXTRACTION IN THE CLASSROOM
AN INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITY WITH REFERENCE TO VYGOTSKY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26512/2446-564X2025e58721Keywords:
Education, Social learning, Strawberry DNA, GeneticsAbstract
This work investigates the extraction of strawberry DNA as a pedagogical activity in the classroom, based on the theory of Lev Vygotsky. The research stems from the need to make genetics teaching more accessible and interactive by exploring the role of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZDP) in collaborative learning. The main objective is to analyze how practical experimentation, combined with teacher mediation, contributes to the construction of knowledge in molecular biology. The methodology adopted was qualitative and descriptive, combining experimental research and case study. The activity was carried out in a class of the 9th grade of elementary school, with 38 students, using simple materials such as strawberries, detergent and alcohol. During the practice, the teacher acted as a mediator, providing initial support and gradually reducing interventions as students gained autonomy. The results indicated that the approach based on social interaction facilitated the understanding of concepts making learning more dynamic and meaningful. The students demonstrated evolution in their understanding of the content and greater engagement throughout the activity. It is concluded that practical experimentation, combined with Vygotskian principles, enhances the teaching of science, promoting not only the assimilation of complex concepts, but also the cognitive and social development of students.
References
AUSUBEL, D. P. The psychology of meaningful verbal learning. New York: Grune & Stratton, 1963.
VYGOTSKY, L. S. Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1978.
VYGOTSKY, L. S. A formação social da mente. São Paulo: Martins Fontes, 1991.
VAN DER VEER, R.; VALSINER, J. Understanding Vygotsky: A quest for synthesis. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1991.
WEISBLAT, D. A.; KLOECKNER, M. J. "The strawberry DNA extraction activity: Combining experiments with active learning in molecular biology." Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 2011.
VYGOTSKY, L. S. Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1978.
FREEMAN, S. et al. Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v. 111, n. 23, p. 8410-8415, 2014.
DANIELS, H. Vygotsky and pedagogy. London: Routledge, 2001.
MOLL, L. C. (Ed.). Vygotsky and education: Instructional implications and applications of sociohistorical psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990.
VYGOTSKY, L. S. Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1978.
KARP, G. Biologia celular e molecular: conceitos e experimentos. 5. ed. São Paulo: Artmed, 2008.
BARDIN, L. Análise de conteúdo. Lisboa: Edições 70, 2011.
CRESWELL, J. W. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2014.
DANIELS, H. Vygotsky and pedagogy. Londres: Routledge, 2001.
HANCOCK, J. F. Strawberries. Wallingford: CABI, 1999.
KARP, G. Biology: A laboratory manual. Nova Iorque: McGraw-Hill Education, 2008.
MOLL, L. C. (Ed.). Vygotsky and education: Instructional implications and applications of sociohistorical psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990.
VYGOTSKY, L. S. A formação social da mente. São Paulo: Martins Fontes, 1984.
YIN, R. K. Estudo de caso: Planejamento e métodos. Porto Alegre: Bookman, 2005.
FREEMAN, Scott et al. Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v. 111, n. 23, p. 8410-8415, 2014.
HOFSTEIN, Avi; LUNETTA, Vincent N. The laboratory in science education: Foundations for the twenty-first century. Science Education, v. 88, n. 1, p. 28-54, 2004.
AIKENHEAD, Glen S. Science education for everyday life: evidence-based practice. Teachers College Press, 2006.
WATSON, James D.; CRICK, Francis H. C. Molecular structure of nucleic acids: A structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid. Nature, v. 171, n. 4356, p. 737-738, 1953.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Physicae Organum
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Autores que publicam nesta revista concordam com os seguintes termos:
- Autores mantém os direitos autorais e concedem à revista o direito de primeira publicação, sendo o trabalho simultaneamente licenciado sob a Creative Commons Attribution License o que permite o compartilhamento do trabalho com reconhecimento da autoria do trabalho e publicação inicial nesta revista.
- Autores têm autorização para assumir contratos adicionais separadamente, para distribuição não-exclusiva da versão do trabalho publicada nesta revista (ex.: publicar em repositório institucional ou como capítulo de livro), com reconhecimento de autoria e publicação inicial nesta revista.
- Autores têm permissão e são estimulados a publicar e distribuir seu trabalho online (ex.: em repositórios institucionais ou na sua página pessoal) a qualquer ponto antes ou durante o processo editorial, já que isso pode gerar alterações produtivas, bem como aumentar o impacto e a citação do trabalho publicado (Veja O Efeito do Acesso Livre).
