Muito além dos dinossauros: análise bibliográfica e contribuição para divulgação científica

Abstract

The dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era were fascinating reptiles, which today are especially adored by children, being frequently depicted in films, television series, toys, books, and even in children’s clothing prints. However, scientific inaccuracies are very common in these representations. A recurring error is the representation of the nomenclature Dinosauria including other large reptiles that do not belong to this group, such as pterosaurs, large flying reptiles, ichthyosaurs, and plesiosaurs, large marine reptiles that also lived in the Mesozoic Era. Consulting the BNCC (Brazilian National Curriculum Base), it is possible to verify that Paleontology content is superficially addressed in basic education, which certainly contributes to the perpetuation of these misconceptions. Given this, the present work aimed to develop a supplementary educational material in e-book format, targeting teachers, students, and anyone interested in the subject, in which the taxonomic characteristics that differentiate dinosaurs from other large reptiles of the Mesozoic Era are presented in a more accessible language. To this end, bibliographic research was conducted, and the most recent works in the field were selected for the e-book, a format chosen due to its greater accessibility in digital media, ease of access, and faster dissemination, including on social networks. The product is titled: “Far Beyond Dinosaurs: Getting to Know the Great Reptiles of the Mesozoic Era,” and comprises seven chapters covering topics ranging from definitions of fossils and geological time to the taxonomic characteristics that define dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and some of the large marine reptiles of the past. This supplementary educational material can help minimize misinformation and misconceptions in the classification of these animals and contribute to the teaching of paleontology in primary and higher education.