One of the eight multiple intelligences being neglected in the academe world is the naturalistic ability. This is the skill and intelligence which is closely related to environmental awareness, and leads a person to become engaged in exploring the things around him, especially those with life form. The purpose of this study was to investigate on the effect of nurturing vegetables alongside learning to the academic performance of Grade 11 ABM learners of Talangan Integrated National High School, Nagcarlan, Laguna, Philippines. Thirty-eight learners initially benefitted on this exploratory-sequential mixed study, with 21 participants (7 teachers, 7 parents and 7 learners) in the qualitative survey questions. The 38 ABM learners were given a 5-week challenge of planting vegetables of their choice, which they were asked to do in school during vacant times – having a contact with their environment by choosing the vegetable to plant, observation of the growth of their vegetable, exploration, classification, and ultimately leading to forming a hobby of cultivating vegetables at home. After the 5-week challenge, it was found out that the naturalistic intelligence and academic performance from second quarter to third quarter of the school year significantly increased, using paired t-test and supported by p-values. The result of the written interview to the participants with regards to how naturalistic intelligence was nurtured by the five activities (contact, observation, exploration, classification and hobby) generated five themes: (1) Contact with things around us creates awareness and later breeds curiosity (2) Keen observation of how living things grow helps in forming environmental inclination (3) Knowledge and different information are available through environment exploration (4) Identifying the characteristics and classification of different kinds of life form discloses inspiring creation and (5) Development of hobby in personal life is possible when the importance of an ability is realized. Recommendations to school heads and officials, teachers and advisers, DepEd officials, family and community were laid down at the end of the study.

naturalistic intelligence

academic performance

environment