The World of Lichens
Lichens are symbiotic organisms made up of a fungus (providing structure) and an algae or cyanobacteria (providing nutrients through photosynthesis). In ecology, lichens play important roles in soil stabilization and development, nutrient cycling, and succession. In earth sciences, scientists make use of lichens to monitor pollution and to estimate the age of rock surfaces.
The World of Lichens module includes a student-driven project and gives students hands-on practice with the scientific method.
Taught by: Ruth Heindel
Objectives
Through this lesson, students will:
Learn to appreciate the diversity of lichens and the roles lichens play in ecosystems
Generate their own scientific question and hypothesis
Record field observations about the abundance, size, and type of lichens in different environmental settings.
Analyze data and re-evaluate their hypothesis