Project-based learning methodology applied to the construction of a medieval catapult prototyping activity in a maker space

• Roger da Silva Pereira UERGS
• Fabrícia Damando Santos UERGS

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/wie.2025.13509

Abstract

This article presents an experience report on the interdisciplinary project Farrogros, developed with 7th-grade classes at a private school in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The central focus of the project was the construction of catapults inspired by medieval culture, integrating content from Mathematics, History, Arts, Writing, and Maker Culture. Through a project-based learning approach, the work promoted meaningful and contextualized learning, fostering creativity, logical reasoning, historical investigation, and artistic expression. In addition to conceptual knowledge, the project encouraged the development of social emotional skills such as collaboration, student agency, and responsibility, in alignment with the principles of the Brazilian National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). The experience demonstrated the potential of maker culture and interdisciplinarity to make the educational process more engaging, student centered, and connected to the students’ realities.

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