A historical approach to reflection and refraction of light

Abstract This paper presents a proposal to teach reflection and refraction of light through a historical approach. This historical approach is based on five pillars: studies on the history of optics, the investigative experimentation, the three pedagogical moments, the contextual reading of primary sources and nature of science. Our aim is to offer alternatives to the traditional geometric approach of optics in science teaching, presenting a diverse and dynamic proposal that discuss, simultaneously, scientific concepts and its historical foundations, in an adequate, non-distorted and non-superficial manner.