The use of geological handmade models in the teaching of Geosciences

Abstract

The Projeto de Educação Tutorial Engenharia Geológica (PET Engenharia Geológica) of UFOP (Federal University of Ouro Preto) is a student entity basically structured in the three pillars: extension activities, scientific research and education. Further, during extension/educational activities leaded by the group, it has always been a challenge to teach geological matters in a sim-ple way to student of secondary and high school levels. Therefore, the PET Engenharia Geológica decided to build a few mod-els to better illustrate some of the geological processes and explain what may not be so easily understood by the students. The first model made last year and consists of a geologic prototype of Serra de Ouro Preto, showing the topography and lithology aspects of its surface. Geologically, it is characterized by Archean and Paleoproterozoic rocks of Rio das Velhas Supergroup (Maquiné Group and Nova Lima Group), Minas Supergroup (Caraça, Itabira, Piracicaba and Sabará groups) and the lithologies of Itacolomi Group. It´s main structure signature is the occurrence of the Mariana´s Anticlinal and its topographic response. There were also completed a second prototype, a volcano model. The mentioned models was exposed it in two different educa-tion/academic events already in 2017 regarding very positive feedbacks as a result of the initiative. Now, the project aims to continue and follow the education track, aiming to help in the teaching of geosciences – in public high schools of Ouro Preto – with the handmade models.