Construindo conhecimento: pontes de palitos de picolé como ferramenta de ensino

Abstract

The present work aims, first, to verify what has been produced on activities involving the construction of popsicle stick truss bridges in the teaching of Mathematics and Physics in Basic Education and, second, to propose an Educational Product, a Didactic Guide aimed at teachers and students. The research is developed based on a systematic literature review (SLR), grounded in the survey and analysis of academic works that address this practice in school contexts, totaling nine selected works. The study sought to understand how these works relate mathematical and physical concepts to practical activities, as well as to identify their positive and negative aspects. The analyses showed that the construction of truss bridges involves different mathematical concepts, such as relations between triangles, the Pythagorean theorem, ratio and proportion, quadratic functions, the law of sines, and the law of cosines, used in the organization and planning of the structures, as well as physics concepts, such as tension and compression forces, which help to understand the load distribution on the bridge. This integration between areas contributes to a broader view of the content. On the other hand, the SLR revealed gaps in the literature, especially the lack of a structured guideline, a defined didactic sequence, and an evaluation method to conduct the activity in the classroom, which justified the development of the proposed Educational Product. Based on this analysis, the Educational Product was developed, systematized in the form of a Didactic Guide, with the objective of guiding the application of the activity and its interdisciplinarity in Basic Education, contributing to the development of Mathematics and Physics classes through more contextualized practices.