<![CDATA[Discovery learning is widely promoted as a means of developing higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), and evidence on HOTS outcomes after its implementation in routine elementary classrooms remains limited, so this study aimed to describe the Natural and Social Sciences learning outcomes of fifth-grade students, their performance on essay items at the C2, C4, C5, and C6 levels, and the factors that the classroom teacher considered relevant. A descriptive quantitative design was applied to 20 fifth-grade students and complemented by a semi-structured teacher interview, and the data were analysed with descriptive statistics and a one-sample t-test against the Minimum Mastery Criterion (Kriteria Ketuntasan Minimal, KKM = 75). The mean score was 46.75 (SD = 18.73, very low category), one student (5%) reached mastery, the mean was reliably below the KKM (t(19) = -6.75, p < .001, d = -1.51), item-level correct response rates ranged from 7% (C6) to 28% (C4), and the teacher referred to limited literacy, unfamiliarity with essay questions, limited parental guidance, and heterogeneous learning needs. Because the design has no comparison group or pretest, the findings describe post-implementation outcomes and suggest that guided discovery, diagnostic attention to prior knowledge, and regular HOTS essay practice merit empirical testing in elementary IPAS classrooms.]]>
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