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Convegno 2025 della Divisione Didattica

Vol. 2 No. 2 (2026): Chimica nella Scuola n. 2 2026

Dall’età della pietra a Excalibur: storytelling scientifico e percorso verticale sui metalli per la scuola primaria e secondaria di primo grado

  • Giovanni Merola
Submitted
16 June 2026
Published
16 June 2026

Abstract

This paper discusses how a conference contribution on storytelling in chemistry education can be transformed into a vertical didactic pathway for primary school and lower secondary school. The proposed narrative thread is the long history of metals, from the Stone Age to bronze, iron, Excalibur, Volta’s pile, modern batteries and recycling. The article argues that scientific storytelling should not be seen as a simple decorative narrative, but as a cognitive tool able to connect observation, manipulation, imagination and conceptual understanding. The chapter on the Stone Age and the “Prova del Fabbro” introduces the recognition of materials through simple properties such as hardness, malleability and response to heat. The Bronze Age develops the idea of alloy, while ironworking and the Excalibur episode allow students to reason on process, treatment and mechanical properties. The pathway is modular, interdisciplinary and adaptable to laboratories, escape rooms and game-based learning activities. Its educational value lies in making chemistry accessible, meaningful and motivating for younger learners.

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