INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH ON PALAEONTOLOGY TEACHING: AN EXPERIENCE WITH INVERTEBRATE FOSSILS

Currently, the highpoint of the teaching-learning process is the interdisciplinary education, which aims to integrate different areas in order to build a holistic view about a specific subject. Considering paleontology, a high integrated science, that uses many analysis processes, we came up with an interdisciplinary strategy for using invertebrate fossils from Parnaíba basin to enchase mathematics and physics teaching. Theses fossils are stored at the collection of Geology and Palaeontology Laboratory of the Federal Institute of Piauí. Twenty students participated on this approach within mathematics and physics undergraduate courses. _Wilkingia terminalis_ and _Oriocrassatela piauiensis_ fossils -showing growth lines and ornamentation- were used to explain quadratic functions and parabola building. _Phyloporidinae sp_. (Bryozoa) fossils were used to approach dots and construction of lines, mainly because of their morphological characters showing linear rays organized in 7-8 sets. Statistical analysis where used to teach about biological diversity within the fossils identified to genus and species level, and also discussed about measurement systems (height, length, obesity and others parameters). When working with disjointed bivalves, it was possible to discuss about the kinds of angles present in the shells. Before the workshop, 90% of the participants did not know and could not define a fossil, and a prior presentation of these paleontological concepts was necessary. After the workshop application, the participants said they had never worked with fossils in their math classes, in which 85% said that this strategy was efficient and stimulated the students' curiosity and critical thinking, helping them to gain a more autonomous scientific formation. In addition, 63% of the participants rated the level of interdisciplinarity discussed in the short-course with a grade of 9. The teaching of paleontology can be applied not only to the Geosciences but also to the exact sciences, thus requiring an association between these areas. The interdisciplinary association can still awake in the student a scientific vision. Thus, this work proposes a basis for scientific teaching, that is obtained from the observation and elaboration of explanations, bringing effective possibilities to the teaching of sciences, mathematics, physics, and paleontology in basic and higher-level courses. [PIBIC/CNPq Projeto 800801/2016-4/ IFPI]