<![CDATA[Contextual science education connects scientific concepts with learners’ cultural and environmental experiences. Although ethnoscience research has documented medicinal plants and local practices, limited attention has been given to reconstructing these practices into curriculum-relevant science content, particularly in the Riau Malay context. This study identified ethnoscience dimensions in selected Riau Malay traditional healing practices, reconstructed them into science concepts for senior high school learning, and examined teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the proposed integration. A descriptive-exploratory mixed-methods design with a qualitative-first sequence was employed. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and documentation involving five purposively selected knowledge holders in Indragiri Hulu, Siak, and Kampar, while quantitative data were obtained from 15 science teachers and 120 students through perception questionnaires. Four ethnoscience dimensions emerged: empirical knowledge, utility-based plant classification, natural-material processing, and sustainable utilization, with intergenerational transmission functioning as a cross-cutting mechanism. These dimensions were reconstructed into concepts related to plant structure and function, biodiversity, extraction and changes in matter, ecology, and conservation. Teachers and students expressed positive perceptions of the proposed learning contexts, with scores of 87.20% and 84.00%, respectively. The study offers an evidence-informed pathway for translating local practices into observable phenomena, scientific concepts, and curriculum content. Further research should validate the resulting materials and examine their effects on scientific literacy and environmental learning outcomes.]]>
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