Introduction

Grammar is a fundamental discipline for mastering any language. It provides us with the tools and rules necessary to structure our ideas and express them in a way that is comprehensible to all. In this context, substantives play a primary role, since they name beings, objects, concepts, places, among others.

However, the classification and number inflection of substantives are not as simple as they seem. The diversity of rules and exceptions can be challenging: why does "lápis" remain unchanged in the plural, while "barril" becomes "barris"? What is the difference between a proper noun and a common noun? And between a concrete and an abstract noun? Understanding and correctly applying these rules is what we will discover throughout this project.

Finally, we need to understand that language is alive and constantly evolving, adapting to cultural, social and technological changes. This means that, in some cases, grammatical rules may not be as rigid as they seem and that popular usage may eventually gain space in grammars.

Contextualization

Grammar is not only important for school life, it plays an important role in many areas of everyday and professional life. Mastering grammar can determine the success or failure of a presentation, a report or a job interview. Understanding the structure of our language allows us to express ourselves clearly and objectively, and also to avoid misunderstandings.

In this sense, understanding the classification and number inflection of substantives is a powerful tool. It allows us to better understand the meaning of words and their function in the sentence, besides helping us to avoid common mistakes. Therefore, it is important to see this project not only as a school exercise, but as an opportunity for lifelong learning.

Practical Activity

Title of the activity: "The Journey of Substantives"

Project objective:

To understand and correctly apply the classification and number inflection of substantives in Portuguese language.

Detailed description of the project:

In this project, students will be challenged to create a "board game" that explores the classification and number inflection of substantives. Each group will develop its own game, with its own rules, design and challenges, always centered on the proposed theme.

Necessary materials:

• Bristol board, colored paper, pencils, colored pens, ruler, glue, scissors.
• Internet access for research.

Step by step:

1. Initial research (2h): Each group must do an in-depth research on substantives, their classification and number inflection. To do so, they should use the recommended resources and any others that they consider relevant.

2. Game planning (2h): The groups must think about the dynamics of the game, the rules and the challenges that they will propose. They must ensure that the game covers all the aspects of the substantives that they studied in the previous stage.

3. Creating the board and game pieces (3h): Using the available materials, the groups must create the board and the game pieces. They must be creative and think about how they can visually represent the theme of the project.

4. Creating the questions/challenges (2h): Each group must create the questions or challenges that will be used in the game. The questions must be varied, covering all the nuances of the substantives studied.

5. Testing and adjustments (1h): The groups must test the game, playing and checking if the rules are clear and if the challenges are coherent with what was studied. They must make the necessary corrections.

6. Game presentation (1h): Each group must present their game to the class, explaining the rules, challenges and strategies. The groups will play each other's games and give feedback.

Project delivery:

At the end of the project, each group must deliver:

1. The produced board game.

2. A written report containing the following topics:

   • Introduction: The group must contextualize the theme and explain the relevance of substantives in Portuguese language, and the objective of the project.
   • Development: The group must explain the theory studied about substantives, how the game was planned and developed, the methodology used and the challenges proposed.
   • Conclusions: The group must conclude the work retaking its main points, explaining the learnings obtained with the project's execution and the conclusions drawn.
   • Bibliography: The group must indicate all the sources that they consulted during the execution of the project.

With this activity, it is expected that students improve their technical skills in classifying and inflecting substantives, besides developing socio-emotional skills such as time management, communication, problem solving, creative thinking, proactivity, etc.