CyberFair Project ID: 7102

Close this Window

NOTE: Due to URL changes, some links may no longer be valid.

International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Caring of Life toward Campus Stray Dogs
Category: 7. Environmental Awareness
URL: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2012/gsh7102/index.htm
Bibliography: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2012/gsh7102/07reference.htm

School: Da-Sing Elementary School
    Changhua, Taiwan, R.O.C.

12 students, ages 10-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 5, 2012. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2006

Classes and Teachers: Mei Hui Tu,Wen Long Hung, Nien Yun Szu, Yu Jie Liang, Zhi Lun Liang, Sheng Wei Xu, Ke Jie Xiao, Wen Han Xu, Wan Jun Chen, Jia Jun Deng, Yan Ping Liang, Qing Yan Yang, Yu Zhen Liang, Chun Ru Liang, Pin Zhen Su

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://163.23.103.1

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Our school, 350 pupils, which is located in country, occupies a land area of 5004 hectares. Most of the Students’ parents are laborers and farmers. School district: including 3 villages (Wai-Zhong,Wai-Pu,Yuan-Zhong). In the past 10 years, teachers always announced 'don't abandon puppies in our campus ', however, it doesn’t work. In the recent 8 years, there have been more than 70 puppies being sent to Da-Sing Elementary School. Last year, a mother dog gave birth to a litter of 7 puppies on campus. Should we invite the cleaning squad? The catching scene is really horrible and pathetic. Nobody is hardhearted enough to pick up the phone. The old batch is just swept away, while the new batch is coming in. It is difficult to find new adopters currently. It is also not appropriate to raise them in the school because fighting over turfs is more and more intensified on campus. We can't help feeling sad. Will the problem of these “released dogs” stay as a tough nut on campus? Are those people who released their dogs here really kind? Who are creating problems – the stray dogs, or the people? Stray dogs became a difficult problem to solve.

2. Summary of Our Project

We hope that our inappreciable actions could serve as a modest spur to induce more people to come forward with their valuable contributions, and make everybody in Taiwan not only views the problem of stray cats and dogs from the angle of public issues, but also establishes the common view of respecting life and sharing the world. Stray dogs are like walking bombs that could hurt students and cause infectious diseases. But Stray dogs have their life, should not be abused. 'In Respect Life, Share the world' is our great dream. So we worked on it 2 years more. 1. Held more than 10 presentations in school and community. 2. Visited an adoption center. 3. Adopted the dogs and enforced birth control. 4. Shared the successful experience and paid it (the love) forward. 5. Print/electronic/television media have been used. We work hard and wish more and more people (schoolmates, teachers, families, communities, and so on) can join us to do the meaningful activities. Share the world, in love, we trust.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:21-50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:1

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):

Our Network Environment: 1.Percentage of students using the Internet at home: almost 50%. 2. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom: Each classroom has own one workstation, total 14. 3. Academic Broadband Optical-Fiber Network: We set up a “Campus Ecology Information Network” website and instantly shared the data and photos for the research. 4. We have one Computer Classroom. There are 35 computers for students to use. 5. Team Member’s Network Environments at their homes: Each team member has a computer at home collected to the Internet by ADSL. After school, we use e-mails to continue the research work. 6. Students use notebook computers to show educational sections.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

What problems would the abandoned or stray dogs cause in our school? We had to overcome these problems: 1.Personal safety, 2.Evironment pollution, 3.Strong fertility, 4. The lives of dogs seemed worthless. The problems we have faced and conquered: A. How to take care of stray dogs? 1. Holding a class meeting to discuss 2. Seeking for internet resources 3. Visiting public and private animal shelters 4. Visiting experts and vets 5. Reading relevant books and organizing group discussions B. How could we deal with the current situations that we are lonely without help and support? 1. Seeking for school’s administrative support and encouragement for propaganda 2. Organizing teachers’ education sessions and establishing common views 3. Life guardian angel and the whole school generate power together 4. Seeking for animal protection organizations’ help 5. Asking parents to be volunteers, help us and donating money 6. Raising money from the flea market C. As our reputation of caring animals spreading, the abandoned dogs on campus increase. 1. We appeal in the school’s monthly magazine and put up posters. 2. We send doggies to adopters. 3. We decide to participate in web expo to enlarge our influence range. D. We also go to communities to publicize the benefits of neutering dogs. 1. We practice the means of expression. 2. We explain the meanings of ligation. 3. We plead TUAPA to provide ligation operation for free. E. Building a deep consensus in communities 1. We cooperate with Community Development Association to prepare relevant lectures, propagandize, perform operas, and carry out other activities. 2. We read picture books, watch videos, and discuss together.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

We’d like to say to everyone that stop abandoning dogs and cats please, because they are our most loyal friends. They are just like people and want to have their ideal life. It is evil to let dogs give birth to puppies and then abandon them. We hope that our inappreciable actions could serve as a modest spur to induce more people to come forward with their valuable contributions, and make everybody in Taiwan not only views the problem of stray cats and dogs from the angle of public issues, but also establishes the common view of respecting life and sharing the world. As the action program continues, we hope that all the teachers and students, parents, communities, and even the communities established via the web blog could spread their love and happiness everywhere.

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

A. Teacher’s Professionalism through continuous discussions with the students and teachers of other fields. We also had to be familiar with the process and skills of conducting the research project. Not only these, we also enhanced teacher’s personal professional images and professionalism just as life subject , dog’s behavior , dog’s physiology , teaching method, contact with journalist … B. We emphasize integrating individual subjects and applying student’s own competencies. Throughout the Problem-Base Learning, the participating students were able to enhance and integrating their various abilities in different subjects. They also applied to the homepages. The first-generation Life Guardian Angel (2009-2011) had already graduated. The second-generation (2011-2013) continues to solve the problem of stray dogs in campus. C. Concrete Learning Results are as the followings: 1. Social Science--experience and get to know the current local environment between dogs and people; to Clarify the important value such as respect, care, and share; On-site observations and interviews; found resources and built up connections with field experts outside of our school ; to develop skills for collaborate learning 2. Natural Science and Technology--observations, discussions and recording; building of a website; understanding; exploring and analyzing. 3. Health and Physical Education –knew how to care the dogs; knew how to pick the dog's droppings; knew how to be a good host; knew how to face an unfamiliar dog; knew how to treat a dog just like a living being. 4. Arts and Humanities -- appreciate the different existence of the life; can read and play together; took nice photos; decorated the places of performance 5. Language (Chinese) --fully integrate the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, etc. ; especially they went to interview vet, animal protector, a public servant and convinced schoolmates and villagers of their idea.

Top
Project Elements

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

1.information and data: google docs( forms, spreadsheets), telephone,2003 winExcel, Wikipedia, internet. We had tried to use citation machine, but we couldn't learn it well. 2.educational sessions : 2003 winword,2003 winppt, video and digital still cameras(Picasa,Photoimpact12,window movie maker, Youtube...),DVD,Power DVD 3.Web page:Nomo5.0,4.books: Animal Psycology, Pet Encyclopedia, Thesis, Rules of the International Schools Cyberfair Competition... 5.oral interview: vet, head of village, schoolmates,... Changhua County, Datong Elementary School through the web page to know our project, they sent a lot of dog food for Da-sing dog party, because their project is a dog food factory(local business). We were linked by Schools Cyberfair. It’s quite exciting. Now we want to link the world even limited by our poor English. We think the most valuable tool is public media. Because of the media broadcast our a serious of caring campus stray dogs activities, the dog clubs of University, Life Conservation Associations, and some students also send a letter or e-mail to encourage us, even on their blog to publish our news. We felt that repeated exercises and operations, has finally started to shine. Thank for Schools Cyberfair sharing the tips of 'How to contact with media?' It’s really useful and helpful.

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

1.All interviews are on-site interviews. Before each on-site interview, we used telephones or e-mails to get connected and decide the time of the actual on-site interview. 2.We went into the community to distribute handbills about TNR(Trap Neuter Release). 3.We have interviewed vets, kind Mr. Lin, Animal protection association, the head of Wai-Pu,Wai-Zhong, and Yuan-Zhong,...and so on. 4.Conducted a brief to help new principle understanding and supporting what we have done. 5.We joined Taiwan Cyberfair to spread our belief and actions. Our students taught their family, and parent would like to learn and support children themselves. We remembered that our county magistrate said: “You did a great job, a good model.” The head of village said: “What these ambassadors extraordinary are!” Old Mr. Lin said: “Good mind, good find.” Mao Tou said: “ Da-sing Elementary School is a model school of life education.”

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

It's not a shor-term project. We have been working on it for 2years more.Schoolmates note feedback: I once hit the puppy. I felt sorry. After watching the film, I know one thing that is: If I say “I have a dog” means “ I have a responsibility to take care of a life.”—501???; Thank you for your sharing. It’s not easy to raise a dog.—201??? We held a flea market after 6 educational presentation. Total income NT$ 15,700.- donated to Taichung Universal Animal Protection Association (TUAPA). We all hang together to show everyone’s compassion. Mandarin Daily News ?Lugang Times?China Times?United Daily News, SDTV (2011.03.21; 2011.05.23)and Da Ai TV(2011.06.27), contacted with us and reported our story. We joined 2011 Taiwan Schools Cyberfair and 2012 International Cyberfair, Hope the people of the school, village, county, country, even the world can be touched via our web pages. Feb, 29, 2012 there isn’t any abandoning puppy in campus this cycle. But we were happy too early. Mar, 3, 2012 there were 3 black little puppies in a fruit gift box. The gift box show the Chinese “da ji da li/” means more and more propitious. Oh! My! Mar, 4, 2012 we started a campaign against abandoning dogs at Wai-Zhong village. We carried 3 little black dogs with us. We told the people about life equality and introduced the Da-Sing dog party (Xiao-Cai, A-Bu, Little Chili, A-San) in our campus. If no one can give the 3 little black dogs a home during 2 weeks, they will be compelled to accept animal euthanasia. Why could? There’s something amazing happened, these puppies were adopted one after the other. How happy we were!

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

We shall thank Doctor Zheng from Cheng’ai Animal Hospital that she endeavors together with us for stray dogs on campus. We shall thank Wai-Pu and Wai-Zhong Community Development Association that they provided the place for us to carry a education section out. We shall thank heads of Village (Yuan-Zhong, Wai-Zhong, and Wai-Pu) that help us to distribute TNR leaflets. We shall thank Taichung Universal Animal Protection Association (TUAPA) neutered dogs and cats from nearby villages at our school. We shall thank the school caring mother drove us to the public pound, the private shelter, and so on.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

Dog is very charming, loyal and honest. They should be flexible to fit into the environment to survive. “Adopt a dog instead of buying one; terminated abandoning dogs by neuter.” It is important to feel life and learn how to interactive for all people. We had fun and we really cherish this valuable experience from our entire project. 1. To let all the pupils in our school know the right concept and method, we spent a lot of time to prepare our speeches/demonstrations. 2. We’d like to say to everyone that abandoning pets could be fined TWD 100000 at maximum! 3. To visit old Mr. Lin who cared for dogs, we went to his community for three times. Finally we saw him. His stories made me know that not all the people would refuse to talk to him owing to stray dogs. In the community, there were also other people who took care of stray animals. 4. We’ve learnt that we would respect life, and never bully cats, dogs, or other animals any more. We’ve learnt the significance of ligation. And ligation is necessary for male and female dogs. Please think clearly before you decide -- raising a dog will spend you very long time. 5. I t is ethical to care for a living being; It is unethical to abandon a living being. 6. We’ve changed that we worked as grown-ups, holding meetings and publicizing TNR in the village after we joined in the web blogs. In the past, children like us could were unable to complete these tasks. This is our biggest change.

Top

View our CyberFair Project (Project ID: 7102)

Close this Window