Scientific inquiry often proceeds qualitatively, especially at the early stages of an exploration into a new phenomenon. The scientists' goal seems to be to map what they perceive to be the significant features of the phenomenon, with a view to sorting through and understanding the phenomenon. This chapter highlights three exploration strategies that scientists use that do not necessarily require the use of numbers. The lessons in this chapter are designed to help add purpose to students' explorations by encouraging them to make their "casual wondering" explicit and talk about their thinking and to enable students to experience and reflect on the process, with the last lesson focusing on the process of searching for patterns.