EDUCAÇÃO AMBIENTAL E O USO SUSTENTÁVEL DA ÁGUA NA AMAZÔNIA: UMA ANÁLISE DAS PERCEPÇÕES AMBIENTAIS DE ALUNOS DO ENSINO FUNDAMENTAL II NA ESCOLA MUNICIPAL FRANCISCO GUEDES DE QUEIROZ SITUADA NA CIDADE DE MANAUS-AM/BRASIL

Abstract

The process of industrialization and urbanization development has led to environmental degradation and a gradual decline in the quality of life of the world's population. In the Amazon, this process acquires fundamental importance, especially in the context of water resources in urban spaces and one of the most necessary actions to build water management mechanisms is educational action. In this sense, environmental education reflects the importance of assigning relevance to individual and collective participation in maintaining the natural cycle of life in all its construction and application dynamics. In this way, educational institutions have the responsibility to train and guide students and communities to better understand their cultural concepts and expand the meaning of actions in the context of environmental education practices. Considering this context, the theme selected for this research was the sustainable use of water, with the main objective of analyzing the environmental perceptions of elementary school students in Manaus, Amazonas, on this theme in the Amazon. The descriptive research had a qualitative-quantitative approach and was carried out through digital platforms with students from the Francisco Guedes de Queiroz Municipal School. The work developed comprised a total of 89 students from the 6th and 7th year and a smaller group with 5 students from the 6th year. A questionnaire was applied, with structured, objective and subjective questions, sent by the Google Forms platform to the cell phones of the students' guardians. The results showed that students' perception on the subject is still limited, but it already reflects a view on the need for environmental protection. Environmental Education activities are fundamental for the insertion of themes experienced by students in the construction of knowledge and citizenship. This theme emphasizes the current need for environmental education in a systematized environment, which arouses the interest of students, bringing benefits to society, and which aims to form a responsible citizen. Therefore, in order to carry out environmental education in everyday school life, teaching and learning must be based on real knowledge, on the experience and coexistence of students, and seek to develop critical awareness and skills in the school community.