The Inquiry-based learning tools presented here uses the Onezoom Tree of Life (onezoom) platform as an easy-to-use teaching tool that allows student to access curated data sources such as the National Center for Biological Inventory (NCBI), the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), and Open Tree of Life (OToL). Through these data-platforms students learn that multiple approaches are used in data collection when conducting studies in taxonomy. In short, students learn the science used to build the tree of life presented in onezoom. All activities provided in this exercise are based on a family of Digenetic trematodes known as zombie snail parasites. These parasites have a complex life cycle with terrestrial snails and songbirds as obligate hosts. Videos showing how the parasites induce ‘mind control’ of snails to entice songbird predators helps to engage students in sleuthing the taxonomy of these poorly studied animals. In addition, this group is ideal for instructors interested in showing that many lineages still have major data gaps on taxonomy, distributions, ecological interactions, and evolutionary relationships. These exercises can be used in series throughout a semester in their current form or modified to meet learning objectives set by the instructor. This approach allows project-based learning of systematics in a general evolution or diversity (lower or upper level) course in synchronous or asynchronous learning environments.