<![CDATA[This study aimed to develop science student worksheets (STUDENT WORKSHEETS) based on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) integrated with the local potential of wadi patin fish to enhance the critical thinking skills and cultural literacy of ninth-grade junior high school students. Science instruction that is not connected to local potential often limits students’ ability to relate scientific concepts to their cultural environment. The research employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the Four-D (4D) model, comprising the define, design, develop, and disseminate stages. The participants consisted of an experimental class and a control class. Data were collected through interviews, observations, questionnaires, and tests, and analyzed using expert validation, readability and practicality assessments, N-Gain analysis, the Mann–Whitney test, effect size calculation, and observational analysis of cultural literacy. The results indicated that the developed student worksheets was highly feasible, with validation scores of 91.67% from content experts and 87.27% from media experts. Student readability reached 79.2%, while teacher practicality achieved 100%, both categorized as very good. The experimental class showed a moderate improvement in critical thinking skills (N-Gain = 0.34), higher than the control class (0.25), although the statistical difference was not significant (Z = –0.419; effect size = 0.06). Students’ cultural literacy was classified as very good, with an average percentage of 95.31%. Overall, the PjBL-based student worksheets integrated with local potential is feasible, practical, and effective in supporting students’ critical thinking skills and cultural literacy.]]>
