An online resource to increase learner engagement and educator content knowledge is available free of charge. “As Many Exceptions As Rules” tells the stories of organisms that break biological rules or norms in order to survive and thrive. Through these stories, the core concepts of the science are reinforced. I include, plants, animals, protists, and prokaryotes in the series to show how similar and how different they all are.
The resource can be accessed at : http://biologicalexceptions.blogspot.com
Posted weekly, each story includes pertinent vocabulary with etymology, interesting questions to spark discussion, links to the reports from the latest research on the subject being discussed, and a list of online resources for more information and classroom activities.
Stories from the last month include: a series on the differences between toxins and venoms and the exceptions – venomous mammals, salamanders that deliver venom by sticking their ribs through their skin, plants that can kill you just by standing near them, and how some birds are toxic due to the insects they eat.
The most recent post begins a summer series of interesting biological questions – humans are some of the weakest organisms when it comes to holding their breath- whales and seals are better and have special proteins to submerge longer. But other organisms can hold their breath for 12 hours or more, or even up to 50 years!
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Mark E. Lasbury, MS, MSEd, PhD
Indiana University School of Medicine
IUPUI School of Education
As Many Exceptions As Rules
