Chia seeds will sprout on almost any moist surface, and they respond quickly to experimental variables. Furthermore, the newly recognized nutritional value and rich cultural history of chia seeds offer the possibility of highly motivating and educational interdisciplinary extensions, especially appropriate to students in the middle grades. Together with participating science teachers from six different schools, the author has developed a series of science inquiry activities using chia seeds and tested them with 500 New York students in grades 5 through 8. Her goals were to minimize expense while maximizing student engagement, and to create a mess-free environment where inquiry occurs spontaneously. (Contains 2 figures and 5 resources.)