BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE: INTERACTIVE APPROACHES TO REDUCE PLANT BLINDNESS IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Plant blindness can be understood as the difficulty that many people have in recognizing plants in the environment in which they live. Vegetation is often perceived only as a resource for food, disregarding its relevance to numerous other daily activities. This phenomenon reflects a lack of interest in knowing the existing plant diversity on the planet and in understanding the fundamental importance of plants for environmental balance and for all living beings. Therefore, this is an area that requires special attention, since when it is predominantly approached through traditional teaching in schools, such methodology may compromise students’ learning. In this sense, the objective of this study was to act in reducing plant blindness in high school students, aiming to address the theme in a dynamic and interactive way. The activities were carried out in a school in the rural area of Pernambuco, where dynamics were employed using edible materials (a lemon balm cake, Melissa officinalis, and lemongrass brigadeiros, Cymbopogon citratus), both prepared for tasting and analysis. This active methodology aimed to arouse students’ interest and broaden their perception of plant use in daily life, thus bringing them closer to plants in a more contextualized way. Subsequently, a microscopy workshop was conducted, in which students were able to observe different plant structures, thus promoting the integration between theoretical content and scientific practice. Since this proposal proved effective in fostering student engagement and botanical knowledge, it provided more meaningful learning. Innovative and interdisciplinary teaching strategies are presented, seeking to awaken students’ interest, promote the appreciation of plants, and integrate botanical knowledge into the school routine. By addressing plant blindness, education can contribute to forming citizens who are more aware of biodiversity and the crucial role of plants in sustaining life. This article analyzes the factors that underpin this phenomenon in the educational context and proposes pathways for overcoming it through innovative pedagogical practices. The results of the analysis indicate that a contextualized and interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of botany is essential to promote scientific learning and reverse the invisibilization of plants in teaching and learning processes.