Board Game for Teaching Astrobiology and Stellar Evolution

The teaching of astronomy and astrobiology is provided for in official documents such as the National Curriculum Parameters. In practice, few physics professionals have the necessary knowledge to deal with such content in the classroom. This paper therefore presents the development of a board game, a resource that facilitates the teaching of astronomy and astrobiology and has the potential to engage young people through play. The material was developed based on Vygotsky's socio-historical learning theory, seeking to encourage students to learn through direct interaction between the players and the game's mechanics, which present concepts about stellar evolution, the habitable zone, the evolution of a star system, among others. The aim of the game is to make a planet habitable in a star system created by the player. To do this, a planet must be within the star's habitable zone and have water and organic components. In this way, this material can become a tool to help in the teaching/learning process of Astronomy and Astrobiology content in the current Brazilian scenario.

Autorentext

Wellington Gomes Ferrante, 24 años, estudiante de física en la UTFPR, miembro activo del club de astronomía (CAUTEC) donde desarrolla diversas actividades como conferencias, observaciones públicas, atendiendo a niños y adolescentes (de diferentes edades y niveles sociales). En el Makerspace Shelter, comenzó a estudiar game-design, lo que resultó en este trabajo.