Grades 4-6: Lichen Safari

by | Feb 24, 2026

Go on a lichen safari! What kind of lichen can you find in your schoolyard? Check out this video of lichenologists in Edinburgh, Scotland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yaB18pL_3c. How many types of lichen can you identify in your schoolyard or a nearby park?

Grades 4-6: Sick Trees

by | Feb 24, 2026

Have you ever seen a city tree that’s sick or diseased? What happened to it? What creatures lived in it before it fell down and died? Was it killed by invasive insects like the ones the author writes about in A Forest in the City? How do you know?

Grades 4-6: Lichen

by | Feb 24, 2026

On page 21 the author writes that scientists test lichen on city trees to monitor pollution. Watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh3xFOw62aU about why lichen is important. What did you learn about the value of lichen to us and the environment?