This article describes how DNA barcoding investigations bring biology to life. Biologists recognize the power of DNA barcoding not just to teach biology through connections to the real world but also to immerse students in the exciting process of science. As an investigator in the Program for the Human Environment at Rockefeller University in New York, Mark Stoeckle became involved in extracurricular science projects because of his daughter's inquisitiveness. Stoeckle's DNAHouse project was a true discovery experience for students. Instead of following a strict lab protocol, they based their next step on their collected samples. Stoeckle encourages other high school and undergraduate instructors to try this approach, especially because the technology is cheaper and more accessible than ever. DNA is an exploratory tool that many people can use to learn something that no one else knows, finding out things that even experts don't know.