Critical Environmental Education and Plastic Pollution in Elementary School - final years

This paper presents the results of a master’s dissertation based on Marcos Reigota’s critical environmental education. This research sought to assess the contributions of this approach to science education for students in the final years of elementary school, addressing the socio-environmental issue of plastic waste. The topic was addressed in a teaching sequence at a public school in the countryside of São Paulo. The qualitative research involved administering four questionnaires, the responses to which were analyzed using Bardin’s content analysis. The results showed that critical environmental education broadened students’ understanding of the environmental impacts of plastic. Furthermore, it fostered citizenship by encouraging reflection on local problems and proposing educational solutions. These results reveal the integration of scientific and everyday knowledge, strengthening students’ critical thinking skills.