CyberFair Project ID: 5265

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Flooding of Shezi Island
Category: 7. Environmental Awareness
URL: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2008/gsh5265/index.html
Bibliography: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2008/gsh5265/narrative.htm

School: Shezi Elementary School
    Taipei, Taiwan, Taiwan

7 students, ages 11-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 25, 2008. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2005

Classes and Teachers: Xin-Hui Xiao, Mei-Xian Shu, and Yue-Xian Zhan

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.stps.tp.edu.tw/

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

She-Zi, Shih-Lin district

She-Zi is an island, and it is used to be surrounded by 3 rivers. On the South-East side of the She-Zi island is the Fan-Zi Ditch, north is the Keelung River, South is the Tam-Sui River. The two rivers are jointed in the east of She-Zi. The point of joint is like a duck’s beak overlooking the Kuan-In mountain, leading to San-Chun, Lu-Chou as well as Kuando and Beitou. As the construction of the highways and bridges began, the water road had ended. Yen-Pin North Road can be extended from section five up to section nine with the help of those modern constructions. However, the cost of modern constructions is vast. Since it leads to the floods of the end sections of the road. And She-Zi has the fame for floods with heavy rainfall. Therefore we based our research on the relationship between the reasons for restriction of construction with floods, and also to get to know She-Zi now and before.

2. Summary of Our Project

1)About Shezi:Get to know the location, hydrology and the culture aspect of She-Zi.

2)Flooding in Shezi:Reasons for floods, recalls of floods by the local residents, and collecting the coverage of past.

3)Sunshine after the flooding:Discuss how to prevent flood in She-Zi Island: Flood prevention plans, where to locate the pumping stations. Improvement on the existing embankments, enquiring services and building of floodgates.

4)What people said about Shezi:Interview the old residents of She-Zi for the reasons of flood. Interview the 2 sub-division heads of the She-Zi district regarding their memories of floods. Cycling through She-Zi and inspect the floodgates and pumping stations. Create clay models of the flood prevention apparatus of the She-Zi Island with the help of Ms. Mei-Shui and create a webpage of our project.

5)Tidbits of:We name our research team the “Equilibrium” we will put the team member information, status report, recommendation and the conclusions at the end of this section!

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:more than 50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:more than 6

E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):

1)School internet:The network optic fibre backbone, link the academic network of Taiwan with ADSL special line's wide-band network externally within the campus.

2)Internet at home:Chinese telecommunication ADSL 1.5M wide band.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

* Problem: Many original team members quit.

* Solution: Replace drop out members with those more willing students.

* Problems: Communication problems, since many of the interviewee are not as fluent in Mandarin as they are in Taiwanese (their mother tongue)

* Solution: Request help from parents and teachers.

* Problems: Difficulties in computer execution, therefore often delay our schedule.

* Solution: Update computer system and backup files.

* Problems: Team members are unable to contribute a lot of time for executing this project, and had difficulties in time arrangement with the team members.

* Solution: Use time efficiently, and use vacation time to do most of the team work.

* Problems: Teachers don’t have time to get together with the team members.

* Solution: use e-mail to contact.

* Problems: Deadline is very close to our annual lunar new year vacation, we feel the time is not enough for us.

* Solution: If the committee can consider giving longer editing time.

* Problem: Students’ language ability.

* Solution: Teachers need to put in more effect in correcting students’ work.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

During the interviews we find the elderly who had been living in the island most of their life, although all have devastating experience with the floods. But they still show their love and passion for their homeland. She-Zi island used to be full of jasmine; the floods had drawn the jasmine, and make the island into an ocean, but the smell of jasmine still full up the She-Zi island.

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

The existing nine-year curriculum is based on providing the students with ten basic abilities. We have focused our research activities to fit into both the Competence Indicators of Grade 1-9 curriculum, and School curriculum.

[Interviews]

Competence Indicators of Grade 1-9 curriculum:Understanding oneself and improve our potential, and Plan, organize and implementation. School curriculum:Linguistic ability-- To speak and write about our hometown, and Integrative ability--team work.

[Knead models of She-Zi Island]

Competence Indicators of Grade 1-9 curriculum:Appreciate art and innovation School curriculum:Artistic ability--use the geographical characteristics to knead models of Shi-Zi.

[Research on the Internet]

Competence Indicators of Grade 1-9 curriculum:Communication and Sharing School curriculum:Linguistic ability--Use computer to edit interviews, share the experience and pleasure of writing.

[Speech by Dr. Shi]

Competence Indicators of Grade 1-9 curriculum:Respect others and team work,and Cultural learning. School curriculum:Social ability-- Understand the course and solution of floods in She-Zi, and Integrative ability--Introducing the application of GIS in US and how it is used in Taiwan.

[Edit our work by using of computer software]

Competence Indicators of Grade 1-9 curriculum:Use of technology and implementation School curriculum:Natural and technological ability-- use of photos, videos, sound, pictures and word documents to express ideas.

[Cycling through She-Zi]

Competence Indicators of Grade 1-9 curriculum:Explore and investigate School curriculum:Linguistic ability--can write voyage of cycling through She-Zi, Mathematical ability--measuring of the width and height of the embankment, and Social ability--understand the relationship between the environment and rivers that surround the She-Zi Island.

[Draft out interviews]

Competence Indicators of Grade 1-9 curriculum:Independent thinking and solve question School curriculum:Linguistic and integrative ability-- able to look up and integrate information by use of internet and library.

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Project Elements

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

Telephone:Interview the district heads and others.

V8:Interview district heads and cycling through She-Zi Island.

Digital Camera:

* Interview district heads and cycling through She-Zi Island.

* Taking photos of the bridges of the She-Zi Island.

* Knead models of the She-Zi Island.

* Meeting minutes.

Scanner:Scanning of the old photos.

Library:Background information.

Recording divice:Interview district heads and others.

Books:Background information.

Computer software-- Namo, PhotoImpact and Flash:

* Webpage editing

* Photo editing

Web mail:Sending and editing of documents.

Burner:Saving data.

Printer:Print out information.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

For this research project we personally interviewed the residents of She-Zi Island, with the help of our head of parents association Ms. Lin, who contacted the head of district and other elderly members. The interviewees were able to speak about the histories and experiences of the past, and we as team members are to transcribe what they say into words. And now we are trying to tell the world that She-Zi now does not suffer with floods. Hope that the water world She-Zi will one day be as famous as Venice of Italy.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

[The figure of history is before eyes]

History: The floods of She-Zi are now becoming a memory, and this involved many people’s effects and contribution. We hope by our research project, the old residents can feel that they are not forgotten.

[Involvement of college students and professors]

After knowing our research topic, Dr. Shi of Soochow University, Department of Sociology decided to share with us the research that he has done regarding She-Zi floods. He also taught us the GIS system and this GIS system can position the pumping station and water gate. This research brought in the interest of both collage and university students, thus we can see that many do care about this island.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

Parents:

* Chia-Ling Chou

* Su-Chin Hsu

* Ya-Ling Lee

* Su-Huei Ling

* Jou-Ju Wang

* Su-Yun Tasi

* Chun-Min Wu

They helped us to contact the interviewees, discuss with teacher with overall plans, translate the website into English version, take photographs, lead the cycling tours and encourage students to finished this project.

Members of the society:

* Mr. Sun-Yao Song ( head of district)

* Mr. Fu-Lai Wang (Head of district)

* Mr. Li

* Mr. Jan-Sin

* Mr. Jan-Lai Lin

They are interviewees. During the project, they provided us useful and information, and helpful old photos. They also gave us technical support.

Colleagues:

[She-Zi Elementary School]

* Principle, Mr. Chin-Chun Liao

* Director, Academic Affairs, Ms. Shiu-Chuan Li

* Ms. Jin-Mei Tsai

* Ting-Fang Yang

* Chia-Ling Wu

* Shiu-chuan Ko

[She-Zi Foundation members]

[Fu-Chou District Development Association members]

[Soochou University GIS team members]

* Dr. Ji-Sen Shi

* GIS graduate students

During the project, they funded speeches, and provided information. They gave us moral supports, provide background music and new pictures and information that is useful for this research project. And 3 of our colleagues helped to translate the website into English version.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

New findings of the She-Zi Island:

We never used to know the actual boundary of the She-Zi Island. And never used to understand the seriousness of floods. What is the cost of floods and drowns to our properties. All the statistical figures are just figures that mean little to us. The reason for the desertion of the Island is just because of the floods.

Surprised Shezi Island:

Now that we have entered the She-Zi island, through the tales of the elderly, the past of the Island comes back vividly into our minds and hearts. With the city developments, through the cycling path and the life on the Watergates. We realize how beautiful this island really is.

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