This work describes the software Quiptabela, suggests a teaching activity, and analyses responses of general chemistry students from the Biological Sciences distance course at the Federal University of Tocantins. The software was described according to its educational potential, featuring the creation of dozens of charts or tables correlating physicochemical properties of the elements, being Brazilian, and free distribution. The teaching activities suggested analyzed students' ability to create and analyze tables and charts correlating the properties of chemical elements. Some 41% of students tested could define the term "periodic", but failed to use the concept to explain and differentiate changes in mass or atomic radius with the atomic number of elements.

In this work, it is proposed a simple experiment in polymer science for undergraduates, involving the glycerol polymerization catalyzed by H2SO4 to produce different materials, e.g. from oligomers to crosslinked polymer. The students can investigate the reaction conditions such as time, temperature and catalyst concentration, thus controlling the extent of polymerization and its kinetics. This experiment stimulates students to see polymer science in a broader context, involving diverse topics, such as biodiesel, and processing of a co-product of low value in polymeric materials with potential industrial application.

Este trabalho consiste em: (i) análise do conteúdo radiação em livros didáticos de Química e Física; (ii) análise das concepções prévias dos alunos sobre radiação; (iii) desenvolvimento e aplicação de um mate rial didático para suporte ao ensino e aprendizagem de radiação e (iv) aná lise do conhecimento adquirido pelos estudantes após o estudo do con teúdo. A análise dos livros didáticos de Química mostrou que radiação nuclear é o conteúdo principalmente abordado, enquanto que nos livros de Física são apresentadas principalmente ondas eletromagnéticas. Esse resultado demonstra que o conteúdo não foi ensinado de maneira eficien te. O conhecimento prévio, observado através de questionário, identificou as principais dificuldades dos alunos. Neste contexto, um material didáti co foi desenvolvido para o ensino e aprendizagem de radiação para mini mizar a ideia errada de que a radiação é prejudicial (como foi identificado em 82% das respostas dos estudantes). Através do ensino de radiações, usando esse material, e analisando os resultados deste trabalho, foi possí vel verificar que os alunos se interessam pelo assunto, reconhecendo e diferenciando vários tipos de radiação presentes no cotidiano.

This work is consisted of: (i) analysis of the content of radia tion in chemistry and physics textbooks; (ii) analysis of the students' pre vious knowledge of radiation; (iii) development and implementation of a didactic material to support the teaching and the learning of radiation; and (iv) analysis of the knowledge acquired by the students after the study of the contents. The analysis of chemistry textbooks showed that the only content is nuclear radiation, while physics textbooks presented only electromagnetic waves contents. It demonstrates that the contents are not efficiently taught. The previous knowledge was observed through ques tionnaires that identified main difficulties of the students. In this context, a didactic material was developed for teaching and learning radiation to minimize the wrong idea that radiation is harmful (as identified in the 82% of students answers). By teaching radiation, using this material, and analyzing the results of this work, it was possible to check that the stu dents are interested in the subject and recognize and differentiate several types and sources of radiation present in everyday life.