ASTRONOMICAL KNOWLEDGE AMONG ARTISAN FISHERMEN AND FISHERWOMEN IN MACAU AND ITS INSERTION IN SCIENCE TEACHING

This study emphasizes the viability and importance of integrating traditional knowledge into formal education. Through the creation of a Teaching Unit aimed at Science classes in the eighth year of Elementary School, the work proposes the insertion of traditional knowledge from Macau-RN fishermen into the local school curriculum, specifically exploring their knowledge about the stars and its use in fishing. The elaboration of the Unit included a research on the use of stars in fishing in Macau, with observations and interviews in Z-9 colony, from July 2023 to February 2024, focusing on more experienced fishermen and fisherwomen who frequented, during this period, three local fishing environments: Barraca, Fishing Port and Camapum beach. Among the main results, the influence of the Moon and related to it, the tides, on fish and fishing methods, stands out. Other points include the closed season for some species and the use of constellations, Southern Cross in particular, as well as of Dalva Star, for guiding on high seas. The knowledge and experiences from the research were incorporated into the creation of a Teaching Unit Plan as well as a board game, “Sky and Sea in Macau”. The Teaching Unit “Learning about the phases of the Moon and tides with fishermen and fisher women from Macau - RN” adresses to skills from the Thematic Unit “Earth and Universe” from BNCC for the eighth year, through eight classes in 19 classroom hours. The plan proposes to integrate fisher's knowledge with the construction of scientific models, and includes: visit and talking of the students with fishers at the Fishing Port; observations of the Moon; the use of the Game to consolidate and integrate this knowledge, and the creation of a thematic room for community dissemination. In evaluating the proposal, the following will be used: records in the Logbook about students' questions and expressions related to appreciation and appropriation of traditional and scientific knowledge; and activities developed by students throughout the Unit. It is expected that future dialogues and developments of the proposal will contribute significantly, and not just locally, which would already be quite significant, to the enrichment of science teaching and the valorization of traditional knowledge in formal education.

Keywords: Astronomy Education; Intercultural Education; Traditional knowledge about stars on fishing.