School: Taole First High School
    Ningxia, Ningxia , China

3 students, ages 14-15 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 10, 2008. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2006,2007

Classes and Teachers: YanYueqin,Chenhai,LiuGuoyuan

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://nx000030.edu.17888.com

1. Description of Our Community

Pingluo County is located in the north of Yinchuan Plain of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. It has Er’duosi mesa in the east, Mount Helan in the west and Yellow River flowing across. The special location and beautiful scenery cultivate well-natured people and culture. Paper-cut is the specialty in our hometown and Mr. Zhang Li-xue is the famous paper-cut expert.

2. Summary of Our Project

With the development of industrialization, paper-cut is on the edge of disappearance. We hope through our project, more people can pay attention on the precious folk culture. We try our best to protect and develop paper-cut culture.

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:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dial-up modem

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:1

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

Our website environment: our school only has one computer room to go on internet. There are many classes in our school. Wr have to go to internet at Mr Yan home on Sundays. For completing the task, she buys a new one. In this way we can be on internet together, which is called “interactive space” by us.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

First, our time is limited. Every one of us has to go to classes as required, and teaches are more tired. We have to make use of Sundays. We do not have spare Sundays for many weeks. Second,difficulties on communication. Our group communicates with Mr. Liu by QQ every week. For the low speed of our internet, we can not upload pictures to FTP. Sometimes, Mr. Yan will transmit our information by QQ or e-mail. It is really annoying that the pictures transmitted through e-mail can not be opened. Third, conquer difficulties. We have heavy load from school study usually, so do the teachers. To complete our webpage all right, we come to teachers home in the afternoon of Friday, and input the articles and diaries into the computer. The teacher encourages us that “Our group is the most one with greatest strength.” And he gives our webpage reasonable plan, which peace our impatience and makes us concentrate on everything. Fourth, the English proficiency: our English is not good enough. For the committee requires English version, we have to turn to the teachers in Qian Xiang Wan Cai. Acknowledgment for them.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

We have so many experiences, for making paper cut more popular among people. We suggest art teacher to introduce paper cut into class. And under the support from headmaster, we hold a paper cut match. The people says: I have not seen paper cut for a long time. Hearing such compliments, I know people love paper cut also. We ever get help, support and hope from many people. Paper cut is a traditional culture, which has a long history. When I appears on the window glasses, you will be proud of being a Ningxia person.

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

Combination of subject research plan nine-year compulsory education Paper-cut artist Zhang Lixue is the plot. Folk paper cau not only combines with history, geography, art, culture, computer, sociality, etc, but also the local education. Paper cut entering the class; the beautiful paper cut stories express the desire to beautiful life. And we learn that group spirit and communication ability are essentials for being the folk culture ambassador.

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

Hareware: Computer, digital camera Computer soft ware: Dreamweaver webpage editor?Photoshop Processor?Microsoft Word words editor?Outlook Express Emails?Internet Explorer Webpage browse ?ACDSee photo processor?CuteFtp transmitting material?QQ chatting tool Network: E-mail, webpage area, FTP Server, Broad Band (1M)

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

We are honored to participate in this Xingxia Paper cut culture. We learn more about the persistence of Grandpa Zhang on paper cut, and let more people know about Ningxia paper cut and love paper cut. We take great pains in searching for paper cut artist. With teacher’s encourage, we investigate in countryside, and finally find grandpa Zhang. We hope in the technology developing days, folk paper cut culture will not disappear.

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

Zhang Lixue, used to be a teacher, is a Ningxia person. He spends 30 years on paper cut, and makes contributions on the development of paper cut. During the process of developing paper cut, is taught and instructed. For example: teach children paper cut at school, demonstrate to the adults, children in the village, even around Yuhuang pavilion..,all of these are for developing paper cut culture. During subject research study, through communication with Mr. Zhang, we see all the teachers do the passing on and developing of Ningxia paper cut culture.We know more about importance of conserving and developing Ningxia paper cut culture and folk paper cut culture. Actually, everyone should contribute to culture heritage. Come on Mr. Zhang! Come on folk paper cut! The “key” of our group is: “Unity, enthusiasm, confidence.” We are a special group. We do not have many members. When worrying about paper cut story, the teacher will enlightens us that Mr. Liu in Tianjin is encouraging us. During the whole process, we try to catch all the information related to our research, unity makes us happier.

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

All the contents are edited from related books; the WebPages are made by ourselves. We respect intellectual property. All the recourses are in the references. The photos and videos are all taken with digital camera by us.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

When finding Grandpa Zhang, we find he is a little weird. It is more surprising that one of his rooms is full of paper cut. He has been insisting on paper cut for more than thirty years. To pass on paper cut better, we begin to make paper cut artist—Zhang Lixue. With the finish of subject web site, and through international website exhibition, we try to present Chinese folk culture and make paper cut more popular among Ningxia people. We hope paper cut can be shining on every corner of the world