REPRESENTATION OF ASTRONOMICAL DIMENSIONS IN SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION

Abstract

The textbook remains the main source of research for students and teachers within the classroom in most public schools. This study analyzed many representations in six collections of textbooks, approved for PNLD 2017, focused on checking if the distances and diameters of stars would be in a suitable proportion. The average number of pages dedicated to astronomy was proportionally low in all the six collections selected and the number of charts, tables and graphics was even lower when compared to photographies and illustrations.  Related to the specific theme of dimensions and distances from the stars, it was observed more than 25% of illustrations with unsuited proportions and without explanations. On this article it is also suggested a simple way to start the work with those astronomical dimensions in class. Through a class-activity thought as the first from a series of classes to be implemented in a near future, some preliminary results are presented.