A Educação Ambiental e o Ensino de Química: A Reciclagem do Óleo de Cozinha como Ferramenta para a Educação Cidadã

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.6031225230510

• Palavras-chave: Educação Ambiental, Reciclagem, Óleo residual, Cidadania

• Keywords: Environmental Education, Recycling, Residual oil, Citizen education

• Abstract: Throughout the development of societies, human beings have continuously sought to improve their quality of life—a process that has often been associated with rampant consumerism and waste generation, leading to environmental degradation. This situation highlighted the need to develop practices and actions aimed at caring for the environment. The present study seeks to stimulate the development of environmental awareness within the school context by linking waste management and recycling to the teaching of chemistry. The research was conducted at a school in the municipality of São Gonçalo dos Campos, Bahia, with ninth-grade classes of Elementary School II. Initially, a survey was carried out to understand students’ perceptions regarding the use, disposal, and recycling of used cooking oil, as well as to identify whether they recognized the environmental impacts caused by the improper disposal of oil as waste. Subsequently, a soap-making workshop was conducted, aiming to carry out an experiment on chemical transformations and to connect the topic to the reuse of used cooking oil through recycling. After the workshop, the same questionnaire was applied again to assess whether there had been any learning from the experimental lesson, and discussion circles were held to further explore and deepen the acquired knowledge. This stage was considered very important, as it allowed us to conclude that the work carried out—integrating chemistry teaching and environmental education—can contribute to the students’ development as responsible citizens.