Introduction

Relative pronouns are words that establish a relationship of dependency between two clauses. They refer to a previous term, called an antecedent, and introduce new information about this antecedent, making the discourse more cohesive and coherent.

Being able to identify and use relative pronouns correctly is essential for writing and speaking in a more articulate and formal manner. In Portuguese, the relative pronouns are: que, quem, cujo, onde, o qual (and its gender and number variants: a qual, os quais, as quais).

Each relative pronoun has specific uses and can assume different syntactic functions in the clause, such as subject, object, nominal complement, adnominal adjunct, etc. Therefore, understanding these functions is essential for correct and rich expression in the Portuguese language.

Contextualization

Relative pronouns are powerful tools in our language. They are used to avoid the repetition of words and connect ideas in a more elegant and fluid way. They can be found in academic, literary, journalistic texts, and many other types of writing.

Furthermore, they are fundamental for the interpretation and production of texts, skills required in various life situations, from drafting an essay for entrance exams to understanding a job contract or writing a scientific article.

Practical Activity: 'The Journey of the Relative Pronoun'

Project Objective

Analyze and apply syntactic functions of the relative pronoun in texts of different genres and styles, and develop a short documentary or video presentation on the subject.

Detailed Project Description

Students, organized in groups of 3 to 5, will delve into the world of relative pronouns. The project will consist of research, analysis, practical application, and creation of a documentary (or video presentation) about the journey of relative pronouns in Portuguese. In addition to the Portuguese discipline, the activity will also involve History skills (context of relative pronoun usage over time) and Technology skills (video creation).

Necessary Materials

1. Portuguese grammar books.
2. Internet access for research and consultation of reliable websites.
3. Device for recording the documentary/presentation (can be a smartphone, for example).
4. Video editing software (there are several free options).

Detailed Step-by-Step for Activity Completion

1. Research Phase (3 hours): Groups must conduct extensive research in textbooks, reliable websites, and academic articles on relative pronouns, their syntactic functions, uses, and applications.

2. Text Analysis (4 hours): Groups must select texts from different genres (literary, journalistic, academic, etc) and identify the relative pronouns and their functions in them. The group must learn to recognize in which situations and contexts different relative pronouns are most suitable.

3. Practical Application (3 hours): Each group must create a text, which can be a chronicle, a short story, or an article, using relative pronouns correctly according to their syntactic functions.

4. Creation of the Documentary/Video Presentation (3 hours): Each group must organize the collected information and create a script for the documentary or video presentation. The video should include:

   • Introduction: Presentation of the theme and its relevance.
   • Development: Discussion on relative pronouns and their syntactic functions, examples and analysis of the chosen texts, presentation of the text created by the group.
   • Conclusion: Final reflections on the journey of relative pronouns and the group's learnings.

5. Video Editing and Finalization (2 hours): With the script in hand, it's time to record the video. Any device capable of recording videos can be used, such as smartphones or laptops. After recording, students must edit the video, including necessary cuts, adding subtitles, or special effects.

6. Report Elaboration (2 hours): After completing the project, each group must prepare a report on it, as described in the introduction. The report should be connected to the practical activity and the produced video, contextualizing and detailing the process experienced by the students.

Project Deliverables

Students must deliver:

1. Final Report: With sections of Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography. The report should contain the theory learned about relative pronouns, a detailed description of the activity carried out, the results achieved, and the conclusions drawn about the project experience.

2. Finalized Video: A documentary or video presentation on the journey of relative pronouns. The video should be a direct reflection of the knowledge acquired throughout the project, as well as tangible evidence of their ability to synthesize and present complex concepts clearly and interestingly.