The Radium Girls and the Teaching of Radioactivity: A Didactic Proposal Integrating History of Science and Playfulness
Physics Teaching; Radioactivity; History and Philosophy of Science; Radium Girls; Three Pedagogical Moments.
This paper aims to investigate the implementation of a didactic proposal of my own authorship, based on the perspective of the History and Philosophy of Science in Physics Teaching, with a focus on the theme of Radioactivity. The Educational Product “Verde Radio” was developed with the objective of meeting the guidelines expressed in the National Common Curricular Base for High School, notably regarding the appropriation of knowledge of Natural Sciences and the understanding of science as a human, historical and socially situated enterprise. The didactic proposal articulates the discussion of the historical episode of the so-called “Radium Girls”, young female workers exposed to radium in the early 20th century, with the teaching of scientific content related to Radioactivity — such as types of radiation, radioactive decay, half-life, biological effects and safety aspects — which are related to the historical episode. The theme of the “Radium Girls” is taken to promote reflections on the interactions between science, technology, and society, encouraging the development of a critical view on the production and application of scientific knowledge. The pedagogical approach is based on the so-called Three Pedagogical Moments and mobilizes diverse methodological strategies, such as video analysis, interactive activities (such as Escape Room), text production and the creation of a short film, with the aim of fostering student protagonism and stimulating cognitive, communicative, and collaborative skills. The proposal aims to overcome pedagogical practices focused on the mere memorization of content and bring the student closer to a meaningful, reflective, and historically contextualized learning process. By integrating scientific content with historical, ethical, and social aspects, the Educational Product “Verde Radio” aims to contribute to the integral formation of the subject. This initiative can serve as an inspiration for teaching practices committed to a critical and humanizing scientific education.