In Brazil, the Basic Education Development Index-IDEB measures the quality of education and ranges from 0 to 10, considering students' proficiency in Portuguese and mathematics, as well as the time needed to complete an educational cycle. Science teaching, however, was identified as a major challenge in the teaching-learning process, generating little interest on the part of students and little encouragement on the part of teachers. Therefore, this work proposed the use of vegetable gardens as a pedagogical tool for teaching Science in public schools in Campos dos Goytacazes-RJ, focusing on the implementation of practical classes, highlighting the use of vegetables as pedagogical tools. In this context, the objective of this work was to create pedagogical gardens in public schools in the North Fluminense region-RJ/Brazil, promoting interaction between students and teachers in the teaching-learning process. The practical classes allowed students to learn about plants directly, understanding their properties and benefits, as well as their use as a science teaching tool. The experience with growing vegetable gardens brought benefits to the integration with the school community. Students had the opportunity to work side by side with teachers. This involvement generated a growing interest on the part of students, as it was possible to apply the theoretical content learned in the classroom in a practical way. In addition, the exchange of knowledge between students and the school community provided a rich and collaborative experience, making science concepts closer to reality, due to the experience of applying theory. Teachers reported that the implementation of the space with the vegetable garden provided an increase in student engagement during classroom activities, making the content more dynamic and interesting. Students became more curious, especially when learning about growing plants. Working with plants grown in schools strengthened their understanding of science concepts. According to a principal, considering a professional context, investing in educational activities in the area of Agricultural Sciences can spark students' future interest in pursuing professional careers in agriculture, since the sector is important for the composition of Brazil's GDP. The use of these plants also allowed for discussions about the consumption of vegetables and their use when students had the opportunity to prepare meals with produce harvested from the garden. The project contributed to the creation of an innovative educational environment, associating theoretical teaching with practice and reviving students' interest in the area of Sciences. In addition, the project integrated the relationship between schools and the university.

Keywords: Education, Technology, Students.