While the practice of natural history is key to what many ecologists do as ecologists, natural history is often neglected in the teaching of ecology. Natural history can provide foundational understandings and insights for the full spectrum of ecological inquiry, and also can serve as an integrator across the ecological hierarchy and scales. Case studies of how others have incorporated natural history in their teaching and community work will be of interest to others who wish to do the same. As the case studies are largely anecdotal in nature with little to no data, they are ideal for an Inspire session, where ecologists can briefly tell stories about what they do.