Naturalistic Intelligence: For the Kids Who Would Rather Be Outside Studying Bugs
You know that one student who notices every little change in the weather, who rescues classroom spiders instead of squashing them, and who when given free rein, somehow manages to incorporate animals into every assignment?
That’s your naturalistic intelligence learning, the kid who is nature smart.
These students don’t just enjoy being outside; they understand the natural world on a deep level. They notice patterns in plants, animals, and the environment in the same way a musical learner picks up on rhythms or a logical learner sees numerical relationships. In the right setting, they’ll thrive as environmentalists, biologists, farmers, or conservationists. In the wrong setting? They’ll spend your entire lesson daydreaming about hiking instead of learning fractions.
What is Naturalistic INTELLIGENCE?
Naturalistic intelligence is the ability to identify, categorize, and connect with nature. People strong at this intelligence excel at:
No ticking patterns in the natural world (seasons, animal behavior, plant growth)
Working with animals, plants, and ecosystems
Understanding environmental issues and sustainability
Classifying and categorizing things (rocks, leaves, birds, etc.)
Thriving in outdoor, hands-on environments
These students are the future biologists, conservationists, veterinarians, farmers, and ecologists, or, at the very least, the ones who will remind us why we should be recycling properly. .
Signs You Have a Naturalistic Learner in Your Classroom
They prefer being outside over sitting in a classroom
They love animals, plants, and natural science
They remember facts about nature effortlessly (as them about dinosaurs, you won’t regret it!)
They enjoy sorting, categorizing, and organizing (rocks, insects, Pokémon cards, anything works)
They care deeply about the environment (expect them to call you out if you waste paper)
Teaching Strategies for Naturalistic Learners
Instead of forcing them to sit inside staring at a textbook, let them learn through nature itself! Here’s how:
Take learning outside whenever possible
Science in the schoolyard is always fun, let them observe plants, insects, and weather patterns. Reading outdoors can be very lovely, after all, it’s the same book, just with fresh air, an instant engagement boost! And math in nature is awesome, using leaf symmetry, rock sorting, or measuring tree heights. Even a small outdoor connection can make a big difference.
Incorporate hands-on nature-based activities
If they can touch it, sort it, or observe it, they’ll retain it better. In science, have them classify leaves, track weather patterns or study local wildlife. Meanwhile in history, explore how people interacted with nature in different time periods. And in ELA, let them write nature journals or research endangered species.
Use environmental and real-world connections
Naturalistic learners love making connections between lessons and the real world. Discuss climate change, conservation, and sustainability in science, study historical events through an environmental lens (e.g. the Dust Bowl), and let them research careers in environmental science.
Bring nature into the classroom
If you can’t always go outside, bring nature to them by setting up a class plant-growing station, keep a small classroom pet or insect habitat and use rocks, leaves, or natural materials for hands-on activities.
Encourage independent, nature-based projects
These students love exploring nature on their own. Give them projects like creating a nature documentary (even if it’s just about the class goldfish) or ask them to track seasonal changes in their environment and build a model of an ecosystem. If they feel connected to the material, they’ll fully engage.
What if They Struggle in Other Areas?
While naturalistic learners thrive in outdoor, hands-on settings, they might struggle with:
Abstract or purely theoretical concepts (“Why is this important? It doesn’t happen in nature”)
Sitting still for long periods (“Can we at least open a window?”)
Traditional assessments that don’t feel relevant to them (“What does this have to do with the environment?”)
How to support them:
Connect abstract concepts to nature whenever possible
Allow for movement and exploration in lessons
Use project-based assessments that let them interact with the natural world
Final Thoughts
Naturalistic learners are deeply connected to the world around them. They think in ecosystems, patterns, and sustainability, and they thrive when given the opportunities to interact with nature directly. These students might grow up to be scientists or they might be the person who knows exactly how to take care of their plants while the rest of us struggle to keep a succulent alive.
Either way, the best way to engage them is to bring nature into their learning, because they’ll never be fully engaged they feel connected to the world outside the classroom walls.
Tomorrow, we delve into existential intelligence, for the kids who ask, “But what is the meaning of life?” Right in the middle of your lesson.
