CyberFair Project ID: 2745

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Tai Nan County Fossils
Category: 7. Environmental Awareness
URL: http://gsh.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2003/2745/index.htm
Bibliography: No bibliography page cited

School: Ren Deh Junior High School
    Tai Nan, Taiwan, R. O. C.

5 students, ages 12-13 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 21, 2003. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2003

Classes and Teachers: Chii-Yeu Fei, Ly-Fen Lin, Xiu-Fang Lee, Xie-Ting Chen, Pin-Wei Lee, Bo-Xiang Chang, Ly-Fang Lin, Ly-Xin Lin

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.rdjh.tnc.edu.tw/index.html

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Since Zwo Jen Man’s skull and teeth were found in Tsai Liao Brook, Nan-Yin (Tai Nan County) has thus become the origin place for research on Paleolithic Age and also is the area that the most abundant fossils were unearthed in Taiwan. Tsuo-Cen, a township known for the discovery of Cretaceous soil, has the rough geography features dry dirt and few plants. Yet its geography has preserved many fossils. It was not until Father of fossils—Mr. Chun-Mu Chen found fossils in Tsai Liao Brook during Japanese-colonial era that Taiwanese started to pay attention on fossils. Mr. Liang-Chieh Wang who works in our neighborhood (Ren Deh Township) has collected fossils during the past eleven years ever since he was obsessed by the magic power of fossils. He studied a large number of books; he also inquired of specialists and scholars until he acquired most of the knowledge about fossils and thus teaches fossils in Tai Nan Community University. Our students of Ren Deh Junior High School are lucky to have acquainted with Teacher Wang. It must have been Teacher Wang’s efforts and persistence on fossils that drive the students to study fossils. It is the young generation’s interest in fossils that research on fossils may keep on growing and flowering.

2. Summary of Our Project

The project starts with a student’s journal and then goes to the research on fossils in Nan-Yin. To meet demands on courses of the Nine-Year Educational Program, we divide the project into two parts: The first part includes academic terms and an interview of Mr. Liang-Chieh Wang—this part is rather academic; the second part includes materials of a fossil exhibition, a lecture and students’ reflections on collecting fossils—this part is rather educative. To show the originality of this project, we left second information behind and asked Mr. Chih-Peng Chen to draw animals’ skeletons, charts of geological evolution and routes of our collecting fossils. Among these original materials, there are topics about Zwo Jen Fossil Museum, life of Mr. Chun-Mu Chen, illustrations of terms, introduction of Hsinhua Hills, and records of collection. We hope this project will allow more people to know fossils and thus love our own culture and hometown.

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:4-6

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

In Taiwan, the burden on a junior high school student is always heavy. Therefore, the members taking part in the project had to study hard for their tests as well as having meetings, setting schedules and cooperating with school administrative personnel to put the project forward. Trivial things such as planning for the exhibition or promoting the camp, etc. often interrupted our work. We couldn’t make it without encouragement for each other. The project cost everyone a lot of time and it was especially tormenting when it came to setting up a website. The pressure of deadline almost drove us nuts. Thanks to Mr. Chih-Peng Chen’s help, we could have a website for this project. We are glad to see that students in the project have learned to respect and tolerate different opinions when they communicate. What inspired the whole team to spare no efforts on the project was that each of us believe what we were doing would let people in the world know Taiwan and the precious fossils on this island.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

1.Fossils enable us to relate to theory of evolution and the potential achievement of genetics. 2.Students have learned to communicate and work with others.

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

The fifth chapter of science textbook for the 7th grade is about evolution and fossils would be the best illustration for students to understand the theory. We asked Mr. Liang-Chieh Wang, a fossil specialist, to give a speech on fossils and thus gave students a general picture of what fossils are. Then, we took part of the students and their parents to Yu Jin and Zwo Jen for experiencing collecting fossils. Later, students had to hand in their worksheets and reflections. Besides, our school (Ren Deh Junior High School) also conducted a fossil exhibition. It gave all the students a chance to touch fossils and to experience the attraction of fossils. All students coming to the exhibition had to hand in worksheets and reflections as well so as to learn the topic—fossils well.

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Project Elements

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

a.Internet—for searching and exchanging information b.Tape recorder—for recording all the conversations during an interview. c.Cameras and digital cameras—for taking pictures and editing pictures. d.Scanners and printers—for scanning and printing newspaper, photos and students’ works. e.Notebooks—for editing photos immediately when we were gathering fossils outdoors. f.Softwares—Frontpage 2000 Dreamweaver 3.0 PhotoImpact 7.0 g.Other tools Telephones Books and coverage on fossils

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

We have two spokesmen. They are Li-Hsin and Li-Fang. They are twin sisters and are in the same class in Ren Deh Junior High School. They present the process of interviewing Mr. Liang-Chieh Wang in the form of a journal and showed Teacher Wang our project book. He and his assistant, Mr. Chih-Peng Chen, found this project meaningful, and it was also because of Mr. Cheng’s help that we had a beautiful website for this project. The two spokesmen were in charge of demanding and supervising that every member had his work dine on time. They were also responsible uniting information, connecting people, etc.

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

Since it is the first time our school takes part in a cyberfair, the principal himself has offered us great help and lots of school sources. Thanks to his support, everyone in our school has a craze on fossils. In addition, our project covers the topic of Tsuo Chen Man (the oldest native Taiwanese found so far), thus it enables people in Nan-Yin (Tai Nan County) to know more about such treasure in their hometown. People in Nan-Yin have every reason to be proud of owning such important human fossils and the culture they represent.

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

First, we thank Tai Nan Community University for giving us telephone number of Mr. Liang-Chieh Wang so that we could get in touch with this specialist and fossil collector. He was generous enough to show us his precious fossils at home and even lent us some of them for the exhibition in our school. Moreover, he led our students to Yu Jin and Zwo Jen and gave them a provoking lesson on fossils. On the other hand, other students and their parents did us a great favor. The parents association provided 10,000 NT dollars for this project; some parents drove with us to Teacher Wang’s house for the interview and went to Yu Jin, Zwo Jen to collect fossils; they also helped carry bulky fossils back to school for the exhibition. During the week of the exhibition, we had students’ parents as volunteers to deal with works of the exhibition. They checked thousands of students’ worksheets and selected those with correct answers. Those whose worksheets were selected had the right to participate in the lot-drawing activity. Other teachers and students helped us make posters, arrange the exhibition and carry fossils. Mr. Chih-Peng Chen working for Ta Kang Shan Culture Society in Kaohsiung County also spared no efforts setting up a website for us during Chinese New Year. Last but not least, we thank Earth Sciences Department of National Cheng Kung University offered us charts of fossils. In short, we are grateful of these generous people to help accomplish this project and make students’ dream come true.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

The whole team started research on fossils in early October in 2002. We realized the importance and amazement of culture in the Paleolithic Age through the fossils. What impressed us most was Mr. Liang-Chieh Wang’s love for fossils. Whenever he saw fossils being washed away in a shower, he felt grieved. He believes that fossils were once life on earth, and they have stayed millions of years to make a fossil yet now they are destructed by men or by natural forces. He often tells his friends, “This fossil has been here waiting for you for millions of years, so be tender and careful. Don’t crack it.” Being stung by bees or being attacked by snakes and scorpions frights him not. Rain or shine, chilly or hot, nothing can stop him from collecting fossils. We thank Teacher Wang for teaching us many precious lessons and thank Mr. Chih-Peng Chen for his help.

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