<![CDATA[Learning activities require a conducive and enjoyable classroom atmosphere to ensure students can optimally grasp the material. However, many classes, especially in content-heavy subjects like Hindu Religious Education, tend to be monotonous, leading to student boredom and loss of concentration. One solution is the use of ice-breaking—brief activities to alleviate boredom and enhance learning motivation. Observations at SMP Negeri 1 Bangli indicate that implementing ice-breaking can address issues of low student interest and concentration. This study aims to describe the forms, analyze, and explain the effects of ice-breaking strategies on the motivation and learning outcomes of eighth-grade students in Hindu Religious Education at SMP Negeri 1 Bangli. This research employs a quasi-experimental design (Quasi-Experimental Research), specifically the Posttest-Only Control Group Design, to test the hypothesis that the use of ice-breaking combined with the expository method influences students' motivation and learning outcomes in Hindu Religious Education. The study involved both control and experimental groups. The population consisted of all eighth-grade students, totaling 349 individuals, with samples taken from Class VIII C (31 students) and Class VIII D (33 students). Data collection techniques included documentation, learning motivation questionnaires, and Hindu Religious Education knowledge tests.The findings reveal four ice-breaking strategies that can be implemented in expository learning: (1) quick quizzes on the four goals of life, (2) word chain games, (3) card-matching activities (matching values with actions), and (4) Quizizz-assisted quizzes.Descriptive analysis shows that the average (mean) score of the learning motivation questionnaire in the experimental class was 76.00, compared to 68.97 in the control class, indicating higher motivation in the experimental group. Inferential analysis via an independent sample t-test yielded a Sig. (2-tailed) value of 0.00 for the motivation questionnaire. Since 0.00<0.05, H0 was rejected, and Ha was accepted, confirming a significant difference in learning motivation between students taught with the expository method combined with ice-breaking and those taught with only the expository method.Similarly, the average (mean) knowledge test score in the experimental class was 82.97, compared to 68.50 in the control class, demonstrating better learning outcomes in the experimental group. The independent sample t-test for knowledge tests also showed a Sig. (2-tailed) value of 0.00. With 0.00<0.05, H0 was rejected, and Ha was accepted, confirming a significant difference in learning outcomes between the two groups.Therefore, Hindu Religious Education teachers are recommended to incorporate ice-breaking strategies into their classroom teaching practices.]]>
