Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with their environment, and the best place to see these interactions is outside in natural habitats. Pillbugs (roly-polies) provide an excellent opportunity for students to learn ecological concepts through inquiry. Because of their fascinating behaviors, pillbugs are ideal organisms to introduce students to ecological thinking. Most children have discovered and played with these familiar and engaging creatures at some point in their lives. They are harmless and easy to find and care for. Bringing them into the classroom allows for repeated scientific observation and even simple investigations. In this article, Christopher Dobson and Dan Postema describe their guided explorations of pillbugs with third graders in summer science camps, as well as in fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms in a number of local schools.