Possibilidades de uso da matemática da Mesopotâmia no ensino básico

Abstract

The history of mathematics has been consolidated as a methodology on mathematics teaching, perhaps, by humanizing a theme seen by students as very abstract, showing it as a human construction, through historical facts or real life problems that needed a solution. The present work aims to show the didactic potentialities of the History of Mesopotamia as a source of studies and support to teachers of Basic Education in the preparation of activities for mathematics classes. For that, it was necessary a bibliographical research on Mesopotamia history (KATZ, 2009), BOYER (1974), EVES (2004), ROQUE (2012); GONÇALVES (2012)), as well as a documentary analysis of the National Curricular Parameters (PCN), National Curriculum Parameters for Secondary Education (PCNEM) and the State Curriculum Guidelines (DCE), in the sense of verifying what those documents says about the discussed teaching methodology and the importance of the history of mathematics on the students training. The methodology used here alludes to the Basic Problematization Units (UBPs), defended by MENDES and MIGUEL (2010). We used the UBPs to explore, with investigative character, the possibilities present in the representation of Mesopotamian tablets and we suggest four activities to be used in mathematics classes according to the current school curriculum. On this way, the teacher can verify which theme he/she wants to deepen with these activities, having autonomy to adapt them according to their needs, thus avoiding the plastering of classes. The study points out concrete possibilities of the use of the History of Mesopotamia linked to the current teaching methodologies for mathematics teaching in basic education.