Development of Geoethics and Sustainable approaches based on Pedological Education

The rational use of soil has taught in Basic Education in Brazil, in accordance with the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC), from the 2nd year of elementary school. However, for the development of specific skills that involve the interaction between reflective teaching, sustainability, problem solving, among other themes, there are few school projects that promote interdisciplinary strategies for such purposes. In carrying out this pedagogical action, it was necessary to develop methodologies that would integrate the student into the knowledge construction process, from the perspective of environmental education and geoethics.

The project involves directly basic education students, 1st and 5th years of Elementary School level I, and 6th and 9th years of Elementary School level II, and indirectly with participation of high school students, as monitors, in activities in the garden and vegetable garden of School Prof. Francisco de Paula Conceição Junior, a state public school of São Paulo, Brazil.

Based on the Sustainable Development Objective - SDG 15, of the 2030 Agenda, the project developed behavioral changes in students, based on the rational use of land, while developing a teaching methodology in which the student was the protagonist in the learning process. The construction of learning spaces, such as the school's vegetable garden and garden, and the soil laboratory, were strategies in the Interventions adopted in the form of practical, theoretical, and concluding classes.

Built by the students and the teacher in charge, the garden and garden spaces corroborated the development of practical learning within the scope of sustainable development, such as recycling (maintenance of the compost bin for the production of fertilizers from waste produced at school); inclusion of the community in the project (use of sawdust and wood ash donated by traders around the school to correct the soil together with fertilizer); maintenance and planting of garden and garden spaces; implantation/use of the soil laboratory for the application of geoscientific knowledge; holding events at school about soil/planting; conducting thematic theoretical classes, conversation circles for decision-making, among others. In addition to the soil theme, the inclusion of other themes such as water resources, air quality/pollution, types and production of energy were approached, so that the student could discuss geoethics, in the use of resources of the Earth system, and man as a geological agent.

The development of activities allowed the transversality with other curricular components, the inclusion of local environmental problems, since the proposal is based on the construction of knowledge committed to the conservation, preservation, and rational use of resources, regarding geoethics.

The spaces built during the project have become pedagogical instruments for the promotion of environmental, social, cultural, scientific, and intellectual knowledge.