School: Kamalii
    Kihei, Hawaii, United States

30 students, ages from 8 to 10 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 14, 2001. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 1997,1999

Classes and Teachers: Grade 4 Enrichment Students, Grade 5 Enrichment Students, Mrs. Rothdeutsch, Mrs. Gilbert

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.kamalii.k12.hi.us

1. Description of Our Community

Our community is the island of Maui and the state of Hawaii. Hawaii is an island state in the Pacific Ocean. We must learn to live with our limited available resources. We must also learn to be good guardians of the beauty of the islands and the surrounding waters. Hawaii is a popular vacation destination and we need to preserve the natural beauty that attracts the visitors to us.

2. Summary of Our Project

Our CyberFair project focuses on the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary is located in Kihei, on the island of Maui, in the state of Hawaii, in the United States of America. The Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary was designated by Congress in 1992 and approved by Hawaii’s Governor in 1997, with a goal of protecting the humpback whales and its habitat within Hawaiian waters. The Sanctuary’s mission is to ensure a healthy Hawaiian habitat for the humpback whale by providing innovative management through protection, conservation, community participation, research, education, compatible uses and cultural awareness. The sanctuary also aims to protect other endangered species in the Hawaiian waters. Our project explores the sanctuary and the species protected by the sanctuary. We highlight several endangered species found in our community and look at ways to protect our environment.

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:4-6

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

As part of this project our students learned several new programs and techniques using technology. They created animation and QuickTime movies using iMovie. We created QuickTime Virtual Reality and then pulled it all together in creating web pages. It was a great way to present the information our students had gathered in their research. Our students also used still digital images and digital video in creating our projects. All of our equipment worked well. Our biggest obstacles was that some of this technology was new to the instructors as well as the students, so we all were learning together. As instructors, our biggest challenge was in organizing our students in creating this project, coordinating all of the various components into a cohesive whole, and keeping track of the students as they worked on their individual sections.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Participating in CyberFair projects allows us to stretch our imaginations and challenge our technical abilities. We get to showcase part of our community while teaching our students the limitless opportunities of technology tools.

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

This project meets standards in our Science, Social Studies and Technology fields. Technology benchmarks were met in the areas of communication. Our Science curriculum deals with the ocean, environmental issues and marine animals, particularly the humpback whale. Our fourth grade Social Studies curriculum focuses on Hawaiiana and the Hawaiian Islands. Tying in the cultural aspects of our project addressed those standards. Our students learned new skills in using technology tools for presentations as they created their stories, animations and web pages. They worked as a group in almost every step of the projects. We found that we were a welcome force in our community as we explored and planned to feature the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. The use of the Internet allows us to reach a much larger audience with our work.

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

Our project was completed using Macintosh computers. The two models used were 5400’s and iMacs. The equipment we used included a digital video camera, still digital cameras, and scanners. The software we used included ClarisWorks, HyperStudio, iMovie, Claris HomePage, QuickTime Pro and QuickTime VR Authoring Studio. We gathered our information from the Internet, from resource books, from pamphlets provided by the Sanctuary and from information shared with us during our visit there. Our most valuable resource in creating this project was the help we received from the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. They were wonderful to work with and were a wealth of information.

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

Our students, in creating this project, had an opportunity to tour the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. While there they listened to and talked with the sanctuary liaison, instructors and volunteers. They also had a chance to interact with visitors to the sanctuary while we were there. Once our project is placed on our website, our students will be able to share their knowledge and their accomplishments with their classes, families and the community.

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

This project taught our students about the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Even though the sanctuary has been operating for several years, many of our students were not even aware that it existed. Once our project is posted, other classes in our school will be aware of this resource in our community. Our website is visited on a regular basis by members of our local and extended community. Through this project, schools globally will learn about the sanctuary and the importance of protecting our environment. We have created a wonderful relationship with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and hope that our project will help to promote the great work that they do there.

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

There are several groups of people that volunteered their time and expertise in helping us to create our project. Our parents volunteered their time in chaperoning our field trip. Our school librarian assisted our students in doing their research. The volunteers at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary shared their time and their knowledge as they conducted the various activities during our field trip. Technical expertise came from Bob Lew, Apple Computers; Patrick Lee and Keith Murayama, Audio Visual Company; and Paul Stanley of Hawaii State Department of Education Teleschool.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

Even though our students thought that they knew a lot about the species we researched, especially the humpback whales, they all discovered facts that they did not know. In our project we share some of the facts that we found the most interesting. Our students were constantly surprised by what they could create using technology. Their expressions the first time they viewed their completed claymation animations, or the QuickTime VR or heard their voices read a story page on their web page, was priceless.