The aim of this study was to investigate "what are" and "how are" developed the scientific arguments constructed by the students of the final years of elementary school of three public schools in the city of São Paulo. As research tool, we were use a kind of knowledge test questionnaire. The discussions that involve this investigation analyse the quality of the students' argument in the contact with the scientific theory presented through the pattern of argument developed by the English philosopher Stephen Toulmin and other tools refinement of yours categories. They are also concerns to this research contextualize the analysis of the role of morality and ethics in the decision-making contained in the arguments collected. The results demonstrate the potential of the field of scientific argumentation in providing new steps for research and classroom practice in the discipline of Geography.

Nosso interesse neste artigo é refletir a respeito da importância do papel da argumentação para a aprendizagem em Geografia. Para isso, elencamos neste texto leituras e reflexões feitas através das pesquisas realizadas no campo da Argumentação Científica e das investigações que estamos desenvolvendo junto ao grupo de Pesquisa “Ensino de Geografia em Múltiplos Contextos”, da UNIFESP (Universidade Federal de São Paulo). Em nossas pesquisas temos articulado a importância do desenvolvimento da competência de argumentar cientificamente com o papel que as ciências humanas têm para sua efetivação. Desejamos relacionar esta articulação ao nosso campo de pesquisas em Geografia Escolar, na medida em que estamos interessados em apreender como a Geografia contribui para a tarefa de argumentar cientificamente e como ao argumentar os estudantes podem aprender Geografia. PALAVRAS-CHAVE Ensino de Geografia, Argumentação Científica, Natureza das Ciências.   ARGUES  CIENTIFICALLY: perspectives and investigation for school geography ABSTRACT Our interest in this article is reflect about the importance of the role of argumentation for learning in Geography. For that, we list in this text readings and reflections made through the researches carried out in the field of Scientific Argumentation and the investigations that we are developing in the research group “Teaching Geography in Multiple Contexts”, from the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP). In our research we have articulated the importance of developing the competence to argue scientifically with the role that the human sciences have for its effectiveness. We wish to relate this articulation to our field of research in School Geography, inasmuch as we are interested in learning how Geography contributes to the task of arguing scientifically and how in arguing students can learn Geography. KEYWORDS Teaching of Geography, Scientific Argumentation, Nature of Sciences.