Nature surrounds us with awe-inspiring events and elements. All too often, however, the beauty and intricacy of nature is lost on students who get bogged down with reading about it in textbooks rather than experiencing it. The simple pleasures of learning—through hearing, seeing, smelling, and touching—are far superior to most classroom interactions. A student is led towards real scientific learning when they are consumed by “I wonder if…” questions that serve as starting blocks for authentic inquiry. An example of this process can be seen in the outdoor expansion scenario described in this article, which is based on the distinctive mimosa tree.