A abordagem do componente físico-natural água na geografia escolar a partir da mobilização de situações-problema

Abstract

Discussions regarding water—as a physical-natural component—within both geographical science and Geography education cannot be treated as homogeneous or neutral; the meanings ascribed to water shift across space and time, mirroring the historical transformations of societies. From Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, and from the Modern to the Contemporary era, issues surrounding water have taken on distinct forms, revealing varying modes of social organization, production, and relationships with nature; consequently, current debates on water differ fundamentally from those of other periods. In this context, we view geographic space as the product of historically constituted social relations—subject to constant transformation—which in turn shapes how we conceptualize water, its use, its distribution, and its scarcity. In Geography education, this perspective calls for an approach that fosters a critical reading of these historical determinants, enabling an understanding of how the control and appropriation of water fit into broader socio-spatial processes. Grounded in this framework, this study aims to broaden the understanding of water as a physical-natural component within Geography education, proposing an approach based on geographic problem situations encountered in students' daily lives. To achieve this, the research employed a qualitative, participatory approach, drawing on historical-cultural theory and the educational principles of Vygotsky (2009). To support the analysis, we conducted a literature review based on the theoretical and methodological foundations of the geography program (both Bachelor’s and Licentiate degrees) at the Institute of Socio-Environmental Studies (IESA) of the Federal University of Goiás (UFG). Subsequently, we conducted a "State of Knowledge" review of theses and dissertations addressing the theme of water within the body of work related to Geography education. This document analysis covered the various curricular materials supporting Geography classes at the institutions under study, as well as textbook collections approved by the National Program for Textbooks and Didactic Materials (PNLD) for the 2024 academic year. We selected the 6th grade for this purpose because the syllabus content regarding water—as outlined in the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC)is concentrated in the final years of Elementary Education (EFAF). To understand teaching practices in Geography during these final years of Elementary Education, we administered a semi-structured questionnaire to teachers in the municipality of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte (RN). Finally, drawing on the "Innovation in Geography Teaching Proposals" (IPEGEO) didactic framework, we discuss its use in mobilizing the "water" Physical-Natural Component (CFN) in conjunction with other methodological possibilities within that same framework. By integrating the knowledge mobilized, we developed a conceptual system that systematizes the teaching of water in school Geography, grounded in historical-cultural theory and Vygotsky’s (2009) educational principles. Through this thesis, we argue that the study of water in Geography should foster dialogue between Physical-Natural Components and contemporary social dynamics, thereby enhancing the development of geographical thinking. The study’s contribution lies in the premise that the approach to the "water" CFN in Elementary Education must move beyond viewing it merely as an isolated environmental element; instead, it should foster an understanding of water as a physical-natural component that is historically produced and appropriated, interpreting the environmental contradictions associated with it as expressions of the social contradictions of each historical era.