Demonstration activities of “Gas Laws” in 8th grade science classrooms: Scientific contents and skills, cognitive processes, and verbal participation

Abstract

This exploratory study describes the configurations of demonstration activities in the unit “Gas Laws” with 8th graders. The activity is a theoretical and analytical unit placed socially and culturally that allows integrating disciplinary, cognitive and verbal participation dimensions with an instructional purpose. Four demonstrations videotaped and developed by a teacher and 33 students in a particular subsidized school were analyzed. The results show types of demonstrations using different resources (simulations with software and objects; use of graphs and diagrams) to concepts understandable. Variability was observed between demonstrations and diversity, especially, in scientific skills and cognitive actions in the same ones. The activity of simulation with software and the use of graph to explain density showed a configuration integrated between the dimensions which allow advancing in the comprehension of activities that promote the learning in Sciences.