CyberFair Project ID: 7319

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Greens come true
Category: 7. Environmental Awareness
URL: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2012/gsh7319/index.htm
Bibliography: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2012/gsh7319/bibliography.htm

School: Shengang Junior High School
    Changhua County, Taiwan, Taiwan

10 students, ages 13-14 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 14, 2012. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2012

Classes and Teachers: 4

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.skjh.chc.edu.tw

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

“Feng Tou Shuei Wei” , which refers to the windy side and the end of water, is the most appropriate geographic description of Shengang Township. Shengang locates in the northwest of Changhua County. Its north is Dadu River and its west is Taiwan Ocean. Strong wind is a great advantage for wind power generation. We can see many huge wind turbines in the coastal areas. Some wind turbines were just set on the road of the industrial district and their spectacular looks attracted many tourists. Wind power is a good source of energy. Shengang should cherish the gift from God and make good use of it.

2. Summary of Our Project

Today, because global warming is getting worse, green energy is gradually rising. In recent years, the government has encouraged people to use renewable energy resources and wind is one of it. Wind power will be never run out of especially for Taiwan Island. The most important is that it is very clean, causes no pollution and can be widely used. This kind of energy not only reduces the occurrence of greenhouse effect but also lowers the problem of reject, radiation or carbon dioxide. In 2008, Taiwan Power Company planned to set up 23 wind turbines. Until now, 21 wind turbines have been set up. Their spectacular scene attracted a lot of tourists to take a look at them. Though wind power has many advantages, it also has disadvantages. We want to explore the nature of wind power as well as its advantages and disadvantages by joining International CyberFair. Furthermore, we also want to look for the appropriate place to set up wind power in our campus.

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:none

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:not sure

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

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

In school, we used T1 line which is connected the Taiwan Academic Network. At home, we surfed the Internet by using ADSL or Cable Internet access to search and upload the data.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

The problem we encountered and overcome : 1.The case study and the school work: We had the pressure of doing school work and the case study. Because we only had limited time to work on the computer at home, we made use of the free time between classes to discuss. Even after school and on holidays, everyone needed to find time to work on our case study. 2.Lack of experience: No job is easy in the beginning. At first, this case study is strange to us. But wind is everywhere around us. When beginning to collect relative materials, we found it easy. However, when we went deep into the study, we met difficulties. We had to check a lot of books, data, photos about wind to enrich ourselves. 3.Group study and work in practice: We read many books about wind, such as the weather in Taiwan, how wind forms and so on… In order to understand more about wind, it took us a lot of time and energy to look for relative information in the libraries around Changhua. Teachers also hoped that we could have a deep thought about how to make use of wind energy. By doing LEGO activities, we realized how to find a suitable place to set up a wind power in the campus. This kind of exploring activity helped us understand more about wind.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Green life is not the life in the future, but the life we want to live in practice now. Through the case study of International CyberFair, we found the green corner around us. Through the feeling of the wind and essay writing, people living here can now listen to the voice of the land called “Feng Tou Shuei Wei”.

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

CyberFair is a multi-learning activity. We combined the energy course in our school to let students understand the importance of green energy. In addition, students could feel how environmental changes influenced the lives of the creatures through observation activities. Putting the LEGO lessons into practice makes the learning more active and helps students to learn by doing and put the knowledge in the books into practice. From the process of activities, students learned most not only how to cooperate, negotiate and interact with others in a team but also how to analyze the events. When presenting the results in the report, students analyzed the segmental materials in order to make the materials more complete and finally presented them in the well-organized webpages. The progress helped students improve their abilities of learning. Therefore, this activity involved many dimensions, including course combination, environmental protection, cooperation and negotiation, difficulties overcome, experience learning and energy knowledge.

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Project Elements

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

Our network environments and the use of scientific and technological products: In school, we used T1 line which is connected the Taiwan Academic Network. At home, we surfed the Internet by using ADSL or Cable Internet access to search and upload the data. When designing webpages, we made use of the FLASH DREAMWAVER software. The graphics software we used included PHOTOSHOP , XMIND and SAI. Technological equipment involved digital cameras, a voice recorder, drawing board, as well as LEGO energy module. Reference sources are from Wikipedia, Shengang Township Library, Changhua City Library.

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

We used both observation and experiments to know more about the green energy and made students understand the importance of renewable energy resources. Students not only visited wind turbines but also joined the speeches on environmental protection and experimental activities. We put the words about green life into practice. We designed the experiments and presented the results to provide the school with the suggestions of improving wind power.

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

The location of our school is by the sea, and wind is the main feature of the local area. If school intends to spread the use of green energy, wind power will be the first choice. We made use of our LEGO energy module and investigated the suitable place for setting up wind power. We hope that in the future green energy can be spread to campus and the community.

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

We visited the turbines in Taiwan Power Company. Mr. Hsu, an engineer in Taiwan Power Company, introduced the turbines for us. After his introduction, we understood the principles of setting up and operation of wind turbines. In the campus, we invited Dr. Tsi Chi-yang, an expert in Wetlands in Taiwan, to introduce the ecology in the seashores in Changhua and analyze the influences of wind turbines on migratory birds.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

By means of the opportunity of joining CyberFair, we studied the advantages and disadvantages of wind power and how to look for a suitable position of setting up a wind turbine. We knew that we had to understand local wind field and the environment of the local ecology first in order to carry out the green energy. As a result, when establishing these wind turbines, we had to consider the influences that might be caused on local ecology.

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View our CyberFair Project (Project ID: 7319)

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