An interdisciplinary approach to geography and biology: the development of herbaria as a pedagogical strategy for environmental education

Abstract

This study analyzes the development of school herbaria as an interdisciplinary strategy integrating Geography and Biology to promote critical environmental education in secondary education. The research, characterized as applied research with a qualitative approach and a field study design, involved 109 second-year secondary school students from a public school in Curvelo, Minas Gerais, located within the Cerrado biome. The methodology included lessons on plant taxonomy, a flipped classroom approach for the study of biomes and morphoclimatic domains, the collection and assembly of herbaria, and discussion circles addressing local environmental impacts. Data were produced through participant observation, field journals, and written assessments and were analyzed according to the principles of content analysis. The results indicated a progression from the use of popular plant names to binomial nomenclature, productive cognitive conflict during the identification of exotic species, expanded reflections on environmental conservation, and greater student participation in investigative activities. It is concluded that this pedagogical practice strengthens the relationship between theory and practice and contributes to students’ critical environmental education.