Território e lugar nos anos finais do Ensino Fundamental: a contribuição do Atlas Escolar Municipal de Cáceres/MT no ensino de geografia

Abstract

This study aims to examine the mobilization of teachers’ knowledge in the context of lower secondary education, with a focus on the geographical concepts of territory and place. Grounded in the methodological principles of qualitative research and collaborative action research, it delineates the research setting and participants, the data collection procedures and instruments, as well as the analytical tools employed. The investigation seeks to identify the challenges encountered by educators, alongside the strategies and resources employed to address these concepts within pedagogical practice. The findings reveal that the teaching materials currently available are insufficient and lack local authorship, thereby underscoring the need for context-specific didactic resources that enable students to interpret and engage with their lived environments. This gap reflects a misalignment between instructional content and the expected learning outcomes, ultimately hindering the effective teaching of core geographical concepts. The development and implementation of the Cáceres Municipal School Atlas emerged as a pedagogical response to this gap. Conceived as a didactic-pedagogical resource, the Atlas seeks to support teaching practices grounded in local knowledge and to provide renewed significance to the notions of territory and place. The study further demonstrates that the Structured Teaching Materials offer limited support in fostering spatial understanding among both teachers and students, thereby highlighting the necessity of enhancing educational resources to promote a more comprehensive grasp of geographic space. This work proposes the articulation between Structured Teaching Materials, the Curricular Reference Documents for the State of Mato Grosso, and the Cáceres Municipal School Atlas as a means of enriching pedagogical approaches. It presents analytical frameworks and recommendations for teaching practice, emphasizing the importance of valuing students’ lived spaces. Through critical reflection on these issues, the study affirms that the use of the Municipal School Atlas enabled educators to construct innovative pedagogical practices, fostering student creativity and imagination while cultivating a collaborative learning environment.