"Cycle of Rocks" project: a successful example of using geological heritage as a stimulus to the natural sciences learning

Abstract

The project "O Ciclo das Rochas em Terras Fluminenses" (The Rock Cycle in Fluminenses Land) was created by the Department of Geosciences/UFRuralRJ and the Secretaria de Educação de Estado do Rio de Janeiro (State Department of Education of Rio de Janeiro) to promote an knowledge update of high school teachers. Its structure involves phases of individual and collective learning on key topics related to geological science. Subjects are discussed in modules offered over one semester through classroom and online tracking. The participants are encouraged to work with their students in getting data about the local geology, analyzing the landscape and collecting local rocks and minerals. The working groups are defined by the schools using their own criteria and each project is accompanied by a geology professor. The material collected by the groups is classified and discussed in terms of their origin, transformations, application in human life and other characteristics that apply to the samples. Students work with maps and images of their natal region, recognizing geological and geographic familiar features. Finally, students and teacher of all schools are grouped into a meeting to present and discuss their results and the diversity of their geological heritage.