CyberFair Project ID: 8193

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Why is Pingtung Gueilai the cradle for Taiwanese Burdock ?
Category: 4. Local Specialties
URL: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2017/gsh8193/index.htm
Bibliography: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2017/gsh8193/04feedback/04f.html

School: Pingtung County Gueilai Elementary School
    Pingtung, Pingtung, Taiwan

6 students, ages 11-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 3, 2017. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2017

Classes and Teachers: ChinmingKao

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://web.glps.ptc.edu.tw/

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Our hometown, Gueilai, which located in the Southeast of Pingtung City, is a traditional rural village. Gueilai area involves Guixin Village, Hunan Village, and Huxi Village. Taiwan Railways pass through the west side of the Gueilai area and because more and more people come to live in Gueilai area, farmlands of Gueilai's farmers had extended to Dingzhai Village and Dingliu Village. Therefore, this two villages had become two new parts of Gueilai life circle.

Since Japanese Occupation Period, Pingtung Gueilai grows the best Yanagawa Burdock of Japan. Due to the unique weather and soil, Gueilai Burdock can grow over one meter long and also with the flavor of ginseng. Gueilai area has slate older alluvial soil (red soil) which is applicable to grow Burdock, and the abundant underground water of Dawu Mountain has made Gueilai area the cradle for Taiwanese Burdock.

2. Summary of Our Project

Pingtung Gueilai has started to cultivate Burdock since the Japanese Occupation Period, which is one of the earliest place that grows Burdock in Taiwan. And that is why they called themselves 'the cradle of Taiwanese Burdock.' Nowadays, regional specialties of Pingtung Gueilai are Burdock, Green Onion, and Yam Bean which they called 'the Three Treasures of Gueilai.' And these three specialties have brought Gueilai a lot of fortune. Among these three treasures, Burdock is the theme of our project. The purposes of this project were to investigate the origin, development and current state of Pingtung Gueilai Burdock. And the project was done by following steps: (1) reference studying, (2) interviewing, (3) field researching and (4) observing.

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:2-3

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):

Internet Access (1)School Internet- TANet network architecture (Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Penghu Internet Regional Center) (2)The category of our school internet is 100 megabytes fiber-optic Internet to school (FTTS).

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

Problems we met and how we solve it are as follows: Problem A. Some of the teammates couldn’t join the team to go to photograph or record timing. Solution A. We did the main field researching and interviewing on Wednesday afternoon because there was no class at that time. We also divided our team into several groups and each group had their own task to be done. Problem B. Some of our reviews and thoughts didn’t catch the point. Solution B. Our teacher provided writing outline for us. We also shared and checked our reviews and thoughts with our teammates every time. Problem C. The quality of our photos and videos was not very well. Solution C. We practiced taking photo and recording video in school. We also took twice more photos and also recorded twice more videos so that we could have more option. Problem D. The function of free movie editor was not enough, and the English interface was difficult to us. Solution D. We used the CyberLink 8 to make our video. Although the software was old but it had full function and the Chinese interface was easy for us to operate. Problem E. The advertising effect was limited while we put our video on school’s web or YouTube. Solution E.We put our video on PeoPo of Public Television to let more people know our project. Problem F. Our data were saved in different computers. Solution F. We used the regional Internet to share and edit every data.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

We had “six first” after completing this project. First time to show the complete history of Pingtung Gueilai Burdock. (From Japanese Occupation Period to 2000 A.D.) First time to illustrate the distributions of Burdock field. First photo of the roots of 26 days’ Burdock. First report of introducing the special flavor of Gueilai Burdock. First video of introducing the origin and features of Gueilai Burdock by using local scenery. First time-lapse photography of recording the completely growing of Gueilai Burdock.

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

A. Chinese: 1. Reading references and abstract the key points. 2. Writing and sharing the review and thought with others. 3. Recording the voice of the film and practice asking question while making interview. B. Math: 1. Making statistical table of Pingtung area's temperature and rainfall. 2. Taking statistics and illustrating the distribution of Pingtung area's Burdock field. C. Social Studies: 1. Investigating the history and development of Gueilai Burdock. 2. Making satellite imagery map of Gueilai area. 3. Investigating and recording the distribution of Burdock field. D. Science and Technology: 1. Observing and recording the growing of Burdock, Yam Bean and Green Onion. 2. Trying cold Burdock Tea. E. Arts and Humanities: 1. Drawing comic pictures of (1) the history of Gueilai Burdock, (2) the introduction of the Three Treasures of Gueilai, (3) the features of Gueilai Burdock and (4) the origin of the name of Burdock. F. Health and Physical Education: 1. Knowing the traceable agricultural product. 2. Knowing different ways and their pros and cons of growing Burdock. G. Information Technology Education: The software we used to complete this project: (1) drawing Mindmap by FreeMind, (2) editing images and drawing comic pictures by PhotoScape, (3) making break through the barrier game by Scratch, (4) designing the web page by Inkscape, (5) making web page by Dreamweaver, (6) editing film by CyberLink 8, (7) Google MyMaps and (8) Google MyMaps APP. The hardware we used to complete this project: (1) digital camera, (2) digital video recorder and (3) Smartphone. H. Environmental Education: Knowing Gueilai Burdock and introduce it to schoolmates and everyone.

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Project Elements

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

1. FreeMind: Drawing the model of the project and the mind map. 2. PhotoScape: Editing images and pictures of the Web page. 3. Scratch: Making break through the barrier games. 4. Google MyMaps App: Locating Burdock field. 5. Google MyMaps: Analyzing the distribution of Burdock field. 6. Inkscape: Designing the layout of Web page. 7. CyberLink 8: Editing and dubbing into the film. 8. Dreamweavers: Making the Web page. 9. ImageJ: Surveying the length of 26 days’ Burdock. 10.Digital camera and video recorder: Photographing and recording the pictures and films. 11.Smartphone: Photographing or recording the interviews. 12.Scanner: Digitizing old photographs and references. 13.Professional Internet database: Finding reference.

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

1.We learned how to grow Burdock from Mr. Chen, Chien-Hsing and Mr. Hsu, Fu-Shan. And we also asked them questions and observed the growing of Burdock through their guiding.

2.We invited Mr. Chen, Chien-Hsing and Mr. Hsu, Fu-Shan to know the history and development of Burdock.

3.We interviewed Mrs. Wang, Shu-Hui of Delisen corporation to know their processed Burdock products.

4.We shared our reviews and thoughts of the project at Morning Meeting, Sports Meet and in computer class.

5.We made billboards to show our results to teachers and students of our school.

6.We posted our video on Peopo. (https://www.peopo.org/buddhaists)

7.We had feedback from Mr. Chen, Chien-Hsing and Mr. Hsu, Fu-Shan after finished the project.

8.We made Website “The Cradle of Taiwanese Burdock- From 6mm to 2 meters” to share our results to everyone.

9.Our video has been quoted by the Peopo. The film we made and posted on the Peopo Website- “Tested Harvest of the Burdock” has received the affirmation of the Taiwan Public Television Service, and has been quoted by the Peopo and broadcasted at February 19th, 2017. The film can be watched at Peopo: http://www.peopo.org/news/330373 or Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMpf20KC5oo

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

(1) We had “six first” after completing this project. First time to show the complete history of Pingtung Gueilai Burdock. (From Japanese Occupation period to 2000 A.D.) First time to illustrate the distributions of Burdock field. The first photo of the roots of 26 days’ Burdock. First report of introducing the special flavor of Gueilai’s Burdock. First video of introducing the origin and features of Gueilai’s Burdock by using local scenery. First time-lapse photography of recording the completely growing of Gueilai’s Burdock.

(2) Our school cooperated with 13th Agricultural and Marketing Classes to compile teaching materials of Burdock. During the summer vacation of 2016, we went to seek for Mr. Chen, Chien-Hsing's cooperation with this project. After knowing we were going to do a case study of Burdock, Mr.Chen planned to design and compile teaching materials, posters and videos of Pingtung Gueilai Burdock by cooperating with our school.Through the help of Mr.Chen, this project has truly provided communication and knowing between our school and the local community, and made every local resident to work together to enhance our local product.

(3) Our video has been quoted by the Peopo. The film we made and posted on the Peopo Website- “Tested Harvest of the Burdock” has received the affirmation of the Taiwan Public Television Service, and has been quoted by the Peopo and broadcasted at February nineteenth, 2017. The film can be watched at Peopo: http://www.peopo.org/peoponews or Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMpf20KC5oo

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

A.We really appreciate to Mr. Chen, Chien-Hsing (Carl Chen)!

This is the second year that we participate in the Cyberfair project. Although Carl Chen is always busy in his business, he is always willing to support our project. After we contacted with Carl Chen in last summer vacation, he proceeded to make a plan for making the results of our project into teaching materials and media of Gueilai Burdock's industry.

Can you imagine a man who has to manage dozens of Burdock fields, monthly shipment of Burdock products, and always planning the development of Gueilai Burdock never refuses our request for our project?

I met Carl Chen several times on the way between the factory and the office. He was always in the hurry for Gueilai Burdock.

In the process of our project, Carl Chen always guided children to carry out various activities personally and always answered children's questions in detail. He was always concentrated in answering children's questions that children always said Carl Chen was very serious about their questions. I think the Kingdom of Gueilai Burdock is built on this seious attitude toward everything! To Carl Chen, it is a belief to make pingtung Gueilai Burdock to become a world best brand of Burdock.

B.We also appreciated to Mr. Hsu, Fu-Shan!

During the project, Mr. Hsu always met the needs of the children in observing and recording, making children's investigations been carried out smoothly. And Mr. Hsu gave a lot of Burdocks to the children for observing and recording. In fact, this really touched my heart because every Burdock was like kid raising up by him.

What touched all of us most was that when we asked Mr. Hsu to make video of interviews several times, he never refused although he was not used to face at the camera. We really appreciated Mr. Hsu for helping us finish many records which were important historical and cultural assets of Gueilai Burdock.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

A.Discoveries

1.Through this project, we found many references and data proving that all those word-of-mouth stories of Burdock from our elders were true. And through the findings of this project, we got to know our community deeper and showed our respect to it.

2. Gueilai’s farmers learned the wisdom of growing Burdock through long time experience. Everyone was willing to help us and answer our questions, Without their helps, we couldn't complete this project.

B.Lessons

At first, we thought that we couldn’t take the photo of the growing of the Burdock, because the harvest time of Burdock was between March and April. Luckily, Mr. Hsu, Fu-Shan let us harvested some 82 days’ Burdock ( Mr. Hsu usually harvested Burdock that was 105 days after sowing), and we were glad that every Burdock we harvested was healthy and good! And through this project, we learned and knew that we had to consider the particularity and specialty of the target, and also had to make a more complete and perfect long term plan. Although we didn’t make a detailed record of the growing of Burdock in this project, but we will continue to record it and then put it on Peopo.

C.Surprises

Pingtung Gueilai Burdock has become a worldwide fine agricultural product due to its combination of Pingtung Gueilai’s soil and water, and they have dozens of Burdock products. And during the project, it was a surprised that there was a photo of Mr. Chen, Chien-Hsin’s elder brother on the reference we found!

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View our CyberFair Project (Project ID: 8193)

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