<![CDATA[This study aims to develop and evaluate a board game–based learning media on water ecosystem content oriented toward socio-scientific issues (SSI) and critical thinking skills. The study employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach adapted from the 4D model, consisting of three stages: define, design, and develop. The product was validated by six experts (three content experts and three media experts) and tested through a limited trial involving 30 seventh-grade students. The results showed that the media achieved a validation score of 94.44% from media experts and 91.67% from content experts, both categorized as “very feasible.” Student responses yielded an average score of 79.39%, indicating that the media is “very practical.” These findings suggest that the developed board game is effective in terms of design, usability, and instructional relevance. The integration of SSI within the game scenarios enables students to engage with real-world environmental issues, thereby promoting critical thinking through processes of analysis, evaluation, and decision-making. This study contributes to science education by offering an innovative learning media that integrates content knowledge, socio-scientific contexts, and higher-order thinking skills within a game-based framework. Overall, the developed board game demonstrates strong potential as an interactive and meaningful learning tool in science education. Future research is recommended to investigate its effectiveness in improving students’ critical thinking skills through experimental studies and broader implementation.]]>
