For several years, the author’s fifth-grade students raised and observed plants, kept journals, and analyzed the functions of the parts of a plant. But this year, a near disaster taught her a lesson and increased the value of the activity for her students. Not only did students learn about plants, they now understand what a variable is and how scientists use variables to test hypotheses. This article describes how incorporating research activities into the classroom can cultivate and nurture student’s interest in science.