Educational practices to raise environmental awareness and involve the school community in caring for the Cerrado: Experiences of the Goiabal Vivo Collective

Abstract

ABSTRACT. This article focuses on the educational practices developed in the Goiabal Park, a remnant of the Cerrado located in Ituiutaba – MG, and its relationship with the local community. The objective of the research was to promote environmental awareness and strengthen the sense of belonging to the Cerrado through environmental education practices in urban and rural schools within the region. The activities were developed by the Coletivo Goiabal Vivo, formed mainly by students and professors of the Biological Sciences courses at the Federal University of Uberlândia – Pontal Campus. The methodology included interactive dynamics, such as the construction of a food web using images and string, in addition to the screening of the short film “Vellozia” and workshops using fruits from the Cerrado, such as the jatobá. The main results demonstrated an increase in the students’ understanding of ecological relationships, the appreciation of local flora and the overcoming of botanical imperception. The activities also sparked interest in families, strengthening the community’s bond with the environment. It is concluded that inter/transdisciplinary educational practices, which integrate science, culture and local experiences, are fundamental to promote the conservation of the Cerrado and to form subjects who are more aware and committed to environmental preservation.