For many science students and teachers, the history of science brings to mind musty portraits of long-ago chemists, physicists, and biologists, birth and death dates, and some brief mention of specific contributions. Frequently lost amid teaching pressures are the lessons that may be found in the history of science. These stories not only teach students about how science functions, but also can add texture, richness, and understanding to science classes. Activities that include science history and biography provide glimpses of real scientists in action and show students that science is conducted by real people, people with whom students might share a common background or interest. Telling stories is a high-interest way of conveying a concept. By using a wide variety of biographies and histories teachers can stimulate student interest, provide role models for all students, and generally give a more complete picture of the nature of scientific work. This article presents two science activities wherein students investigate the lives of scientists and their discoveries. In the first activity, students learn about Mendeleev's development of the periodic table and the structure of the modern table. In the second activity, students perform lab work to investigate the development of aspirin, which in the early 1900s was in its infancy as a widely used pain reliever. (Contains 6 figures.)