A DIDACTIC SEQUENCE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THOUGHT ALGERY NO 6th. YEAR OF FUNDAMENTAL TEACHING
Elementary School. Elementary Algebra. Algebraic thinking. Following teaching.
Mathematical learning.
We present a Didactic Sequence, by the methodological assumptions of Didactic Engineering,
containing problem solving activities with natural numbers. This presents problems that we
present from the textbook in use and that we elaborate from the studies carried out, as well as
didactic moments that aim to analyze what conditions and restrictions act on the implementation
of this Sequence in the 6th. year of Elementary School, aiming at the development of algebraic
thinking. We outline as general objective: to investigate what contributions and conditions and
restrictions of implementation of a Didactic Sequence - elaborated for the teaching of operations
with natural numbers, in the 6th. year of Elementary School and with problems solving activities
for the development of algebraic thinking; and as specific objectives: (a) to analyze the conditions
and constraints for the development of algebraic thinking from problems of operations with
natural numbers; (b) investigate strategies mobilized by students from oral and written
productions in solving problems with natural numbers that indicate the development of algebraic
thinking; (c) to analyze the written and oral productions of the students in the answers given to
the proposed problems regarding the development of algebraic thinking. We interweave our
research to a qualitative approach, of an interpretive nature that seeks to know, describe and
analyze the actions of students and the reasoning that mobilize when they are faced with problems
that may evoke algebraic thinking. The contribution to the analysis came from the
Anthropological Theory of Didactics in the studies of Chevallard, Bosch, and their collaborators;
Kaput; Kieran; Squalli: Radford; Almeida; Oliveira and Câmara, Duval, among others. This
research was carried out in a state public school in the interior of Bahia, with 111 students, who
participated in three phases of experimentation. Results indicate that thinking algebraically
manifests itself mainly by manipulating unknown objects analytically as if they were known; in
the ability to establish relationships between the data of a problem; evoking non-ostensible
objects from the ostensible ones present in the problems, meaning them. Arithmetic problems
proved to be conducive to the establishment of relations that indicated the development of
algebraic thinking, in terms of sequential, equational, equilibrium, and functional reasoning, the
latter with more difficulty of perception. It was under the use of algebraic resolution strategies
with the use of letters and symbols, it is justified because they are not yet formally introduced in
algebra by the curriculum they obey. We consider that algebraic thinking is not necessarily
associated with the use of these elements. Considerations of the study indicate that the way the
activities are proposed to the students, their conduction, exploring ostensible and varied records
of semiotic representation, such as the natural, iconic and numerical language, contribute to the
development of algebraic thinking. We thus find evidence to validate our sequence, discussing it
by the theoretical bases and referring to the domains of algebra, and thus promoting knowledge.