Inquiry-based laboratory sessions are recognized for contributing to enhancing students' autonomy and they were used in the reorganization of the Biochemistry laboratory offered to freshman Biology students in this university. Students were previously asked to follow rigid laboratory protocols attempting to achieve the correct results of their experiments. The inquiry-based activities were designed to develop students autonomy to plan and to perform experiments, as well as communicating and discussing their results. The inquiry-based and autonomy approach followed is classified in the literature as Organizational, Procedural, and Cognitive. The levels of autonomy required from students were increased sequentially. The first activity was the least demanding, since the students received detailed instructions from the worksheet. The activities became gradually more complex, transferring to students most decisions on setting up and performing the experiments. Student skill improvement was obtained, as verified by excerpts from student reports, by data obtained from content analysis of the exams, and scientific report scores indicate that this approach may have stimulated the improvement of several skills related to different autonomy aspects. Most important, students showed increased ownership of the laboratory materials, reagents, laboratory environment and especially of learning, showing a sense of active participation in the experimental activities.

The Química Nova Interativa (QNInt) portal was launched in 2009 by the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ) to offer free quality content for broad audiences. QNInt provides peer-reviewed articles from SBQ journals on science & society, chemical concepts, classroom activities and educational research. With 3,000,000 visits, QNInt also offers a unique library of interactive molecules. In the International Year of Chemistry QNInt served for distributing pH kits and registering data from IUPAC's Global Water Experiment, yielding Brazil the largest share of the global pH data set. The portal performance makes QNInt a valuable resource for connecting science to education.

A chave de identificação foi elaborada com base no material herborizado das espécies do estrato arbóreo amostradas com pelo menos 4,8 cm de DAP, em dois trechos de Floresta Ombrófila Densa Submontana. Foram utilizadas apenas características morfológicas vegetativas, como a filotaxia, forma das folhas, presença ou ausência de estípulas, indumento e glândulas, dentre outros aspectos relevantes para a identificação das espécies, e observações de campo. A chave consta de 193 espécies (4 indeterminadas), distribuídas em 114 gêneros e 50 famílias botânicas, e uma versão eletrônica interativa está disponível para consulta on line (http://www.gama.ib.unicamp.br/gama/index.php ).

The identification key was developed taking into account the herbarium specimens from the species of the arboreal stratum sampled, with at least 4.8 cm DBH, in two stretches of Lower Montane Rain Forest. Only morphological vegetative characters were used, such as phyllotaxy, leaf shape, presence or absence of stipules, trichomes and glands, and other aspects relevant to the species identification, besides field observations. The key comprises 193 (4 without identification) species belonging to 114 genera and 50 botanical families, and an interactive electronic version is available online at the site http://www.gama.ib.unicamp.br/gama/index.php.

Courses with practical and theoretical classes are potentially didactic structures for the development of motor and complex cognitive skills when operated in an integrated manner. When worked aligned, theory and practice enable a clearer view of the issue, opening scope for introducing concepts from other disciplines and for the development of lab skills. This paper presents a methodology for biochemistry labwork that promotes the teaching of the buffering systems contents together with to the development of scientific research practice concepts in an interdisciplinary perspective that integrates theory and practice.

Chemicals binding to membrane receptors may induce events within the cell changing its behavior. Since these events are simultaneous and hard to be understood by students, we developed a computational model to dynamically and visually explore the cAMP signaling system to facilitate its understanding. The animation is shown in parts, from the hormone-receptor binding to the cellular response. There are some questions to be answered after using the model. The software was field-tested and an evaluation questionnaire (concerning usability, animations, models, and the software as an educational tool) was answered by the students, showing the software to be a valuable aid for content comprehension.

Though Free Radicals is one of the most frequently explored scientific subjects in mass communication media, the topic is absent of many Biochemistry introductory courses, especially those in which the students do not have a good chemical background. To overcome this contradictory situation we have developed a software treating this topic in a very simple way. The software is divided in four sections: (1) definition and description of free radicals, (2) production pathways, (3) mechanism of action and (4) enzymatic and non enzymatic protection. The instructional capacity of the software has been both qualitative and quantitatively evaluated through its application in undergraduate courses. The software is available in the INTERNET at the site: http://www.unicamp.br/ib/bioquimica/ensino.