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1. Description of Our Community
We are the students of Sin Fong Primary School, which is located near Maolin National Scenic Area in the south of Taiwan. The purple crow butterflies that we introduce in our project come to Maolin for winter migrant every year. Maolin National Scenic Area covers 59,800 hectares. It is long and narrow in dimension, stretching from Ali mountain in the north and Jade mountain to the Central Mountains. Maolin National Scenic Area administrative covers six townships in Kaoshiung and Pingtung counties. The area's purple butterflies gather here to live in the winter, making it comparable to Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Valley as a world-famous sight. Our beautiful friend, the purple crow butterfly, comeback to Maolin to stay with us every winter. All of you would really want to know why do the purple crow butterfly choose Maolin instead of the other wonderful place in Taiwan. And that’s why we make this project. The butterflies come here because it’s warm in winter here, because there are lots of foods for them in winter here, because the people here know how to live peacefully with them and treat them just like friend, because ……, please enjoy our project by yourselves and find the answers.
2. Summary of Our Project
In June 2003, an internationally renowned butterfly researcher, Dick Vane Wnight specifically introduced in his book, a publication of British Museum, namely “Butterfly”, of what he regarded as “An expected encounter in Taiwan in the winter of 1971.” He then listed the Maolin Purple Butterfly Valley and the Monarch Butterfly Valley in Mexico as two of the largest “Winter Migratory Butterfly Valleys” in the world. This prominently demonstrated the preciousness and the ecological uniqueness of the Maolin Purple Butterfly Valley. We collected the related information about purple crow butterfly and Maolin form books and webs. Then, we explored the Maolin Purple Butterfly Valley four times, and interviewed some experts. We discussed several times and everyone shared our reflections to each other. Finally, we made our own project website and finished our CyberFair Project. The process of our project is following: 1. We collect all of the information we need about purple crow butterfly from the books, internet, some related documents, etc. 2. We make our project subject from the raw material that we found, and use any method we can (ex. interviewing to experts, make a visit to Maolin National Scenic Area, inquire people, search in the internet, etc) to find the solution and make the conclusion. 3. When we are study, we may find more questions, and we will solve them continuously 4.We sum up the knowledge we learned from the research we made, and to make the conclusion of our project. 5.To make the website of our project. 6. To make the presentation in our class. 7. To make the modification of our work.
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:1
C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection
D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:2-3
E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):
Our school is located in the faraway country. All computer hardware facilities are not sufficient. There are about 20 computers in our school. It just enough for us to do our study, reach information, edit our acticles, trim the photos, design the wibesite, etc.. We know not much about the internet environment and computer skill when beginning. Now we get more familiar with how to get information from internet and how to fisnish our work. We have to thanks our teachers for their instruction. As the facilities sre not easy to get, we treasure any equipment we have and any chance we have. We try our best to finish the project and attend the International Schools CyberFair. We learn how to 'Teach and Unite' each other in this project and we get a lot of fun!
4. Problems We Had To Overcome
1. First of all, we have no ideal with purple crow butterfly. Related information gathering is first challenge. Where can we find information? How to choose the useful information from lots of raw materials and throw the other away. 2. To search purple butterfly valleys is second challenge for us. As we have never been to purple butterfly valley before, we even don’t know the exact position of them. We search by ourselves, asked people lived nearby, make phone calls to expert to get some clues. How to get there is a problem for us. We need two to three cars to take all of us. Teachers spend much time to accompany us. 3. To translate our project into English version is the biggest challenge. Englsih is foreign language for us. We just learn a little bit about English. Talking in English is very hard for us, not to mention writing in English. Teachers help a lot in translation. Without they, we really don’t have ability to deal with our CyberFair Project. 4. To build our own project website is challenge, teachers teach us to edit WebPages, be the consultants, give some useful suggestions, check out our progress. We solved many problems to finish the project. It is not easy work for us. We do learn a lot. Thanks persons who help us during this period of time.
5. Our Project Sound Bite
Purple crow butterflies are our local attraction. We research them, observe them, then we take care them, finally, we love them indeed. When them move northward for Maolin every spring season, we say good bye to them. Next winter them came to Maolin to accompany with us, who we meet are the next generation. Life is going on by its way. We learn how valuable the life is!
6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?
We combine the project activities with Grades 1 to 9 Curriculums and our school-based curriculum. 1.Be able to analyze the impacts on space design and environment types that personal temperaments,cultural backgrounds, social systems, and natural environments exert. 2.Be able to know the important people and events of Maolin from past to now. 3.Be able to study the origin of Taiwan culture, and be able to appreciate the contents of Taiwan culture. 4.Be able to understand the characteristics of any roles, and relationship between the roles. 5.Combine the project with our own school-based curriculum. Let it be the integrated curriculum in Social Studies, Chinese, and Arts and Humanities
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