Pollution occurs when harmful substances are released into the environment. This study aims to analyze the creative thinking skills of junior high school students in natural science learning based on differences in students’ academic abilities. This research is a descriptive study involving 118 8th grade students of junior high school. Students are classified into three categories; students with high, medium, and low academic ability. The results is academic skills directly proportional to creative thinking skills. Data shows that students with high academic abilities have high creative thinking skills. This is indicated by the average calculation result of all four elements of creative thinking by 33%. The students with moderate academic ability are also known to have creative thinking skills in the medium category, which is indicated by the average calculation result of the four elements of creative thinking by 26%. Likewise, students with low academic ability, have creative thinking skills in the low category with a percentage of 23%

Mental maps concept emerged in discussions among experts since the 1960s where the concept was combined using participatory in exploring the visualization of the city and spatial preferences. This study discusses the characteristics of popular eating places based on an evaluation of spatial products in the discussion of space. For comparison purposes, it takes participants who need to fill in the required form about the characteristics of the eating place based on their favorite places to eat and analyze the printed map and mental map. Universitas Hassanudin students are selected as research participants. They chose to map three of their favorite eating places in Tamalanrea Indah Village as a basis to determine their popular eating places while revealing their mental maps. In total, there are 10 participants which produced 18 names of favorite eating places. Ten respondents who were willing to fill in the map, and evaluate the mental maps, is compared. From the data obtained, the three most popular places to eat in Tamalanrea Indah Village that were successfully validated were Bokatana, Waroeng Dian and Warung Alhamdulillah. In general, the mental map produced is based on the variable length of stay and length of study at the Universitas Hassanudin which affects the accuracy of the mental maps, while for popular eating places students are selected based on the distance from the faculty to compare the distance of the residence.

The limitations of inquiry-based learning tools have an impact on the low critical thinking skills of elementary students in science learning. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning tools to improve critical thinking skills. The study design is a quasi nonequivalent control group experiment. The experimental class was treated with inquiry-based learning devices, the control class was implemented with STAD-based learning devices. The population and sample in this study were students in grades IVA and IVB at SDN Kepanjen 2 and SDN Panggungrejo 4. This study was conducted for one month from August to September 2022. The instrument used was a critical thinking skills test. The validity test is calculated based on the Aiken index. Data were analyzed based on the pair t-test. The results of this study indicate a very significant difference in students' critical thinking skills. The average score of students' critical thinking before the use of inquiry learning tools in the experimental class was 53.59 and after being used was 82.44. Control group students have an average critical thinking ability of 42.35 and thereafter 59.88. There are factors that affect the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning tools including the validity of the device, the difference in the average score of critical thinking skills which is very significant for students in the experimental and control groups, the responses of students and teachers, and the implementation of learning. In conclusion, instructional inquiry tools are effective for improving critical thinking skills. This study recommends the development of inquiry-based learning tools to improve students' critical thinking skills.