A física nas séries iniciais (2ª a 5ª) do ensino fundamental : desenvolvimento e aplicação de um programa visando a qualificação de professores

In this paper we describe a proposal to improve the teaching of physics in the first four grades of elementary school. With this aim was developed a teachers qualification program. The program is structured in parts which include several instruments and pedagogic strategies. Each part starts with laboratory classes followed by class interaction with texts specially produced to the project. These texts contains science history, everyday physics and introduction to physical concepts. Then multimedia recourses available in the internet are used. The program was applied in an extension course at Federal University of Rio Grande so Sul (UFRGS) to twelve teachers of Colegio Sao Bento, at Criciuma, SC. It was also used in a course in the II Encontro Estadual de Ensino de Fisica at Instituto de Fisica/UFRGS. The teachers of Colegio Sao Bento applied the physics content to children workshops entitled "Physics to Children" and made adaptations, when necessary, to adequate the content and strategies to the pupils interests and characteristics.