Upper School Intersession 2025

There is an entire world of biodiversity that is hidden in all types of environments, including at The Nueva School! This is the world of lichens, which are frequently overlooked due to their small size. Lichens are unique composite organisms that appear and function as one organism, but are actually made up of multiple species of fungi, algae, and bacteria. Lichens play important roles in their ecosystems, including support for wildlife. Scientists study lichens for many reasons, including that they are bioindicators of air pollution and have antibacterial/antifungal properties.

We will take a hands-on approach to learning about lichens. The goals of this intersession are to:
- Learn what a lichen is
- Recognize lichens in the wild
- Identify some locally occurring lichens

This intersession will take place outside and in the lab. We will closely observe lichens in their natural environments on The Nueva School property. We will also work in a lab in order to catalyze chemical reactions using lichens, which is an important component of lichen identification. We will learn basic use of dichotomous keys for lichens so that when students leave the intersession, they have foundational tools and knowledge to continue identifying lichens they encounter.