School: Shih-Men Junior High School
    Taoyuan, Taiwan, R.O.C.

13 students, ages from 12 to 13 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 10, 2002. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 3

Classes and Teachers: Teachers: Lai, June; Wu, Feng-Yu

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http:// http://www.smjh.tyc.edu.com/

1. Description of Our Community

Lungtan village is a place where we were born and grown up. People usually come to visit some scenic spot in this place, such as the Shih-Men Dam, the "Window on China (Lilliput)" theme park, or to favor some local products, specialties, such as large carp fish, peanut candy, green tea, etc., but overlook the aquatic vegetation of national treasure class – Nuphar Shimadai Hayata, so-called Taiwan Water Lily. It is a specific species in natural spatterdock family, spreading in most southern part of the world only. Once seen in almost all western swamps of Taiwan, today it inhabits only limited areas in the damp floor of Lungtan and Yanmei, Taoyuan. Rapid industrial development in recent years has dwindled its habitats considerably, and Taiwan Water Lily is now facing a real survival crisis.

We select this meaningful research subject, and hopefully the technical development and natural environment preservation are riding bridle by bridle and in good compatibility in this community. It is also a nice place for people to incline to.

2. Summary of Our Project

Our project entitled "Experiencing the Tranquility of the Taiwan Water Lily and its Precarious Future" was proposed by Eric Chia, one of our team members, and then discussed and determined by vote. The inspiration comes from a book named "Silent Spring" written by Ms. Rachel Louise Carson, 1907-1964, who is one of the pioneers in world environment protection. The word "Tranquility" represents the Taiwan Water Lily stands straight up elegantly in water pond, while "Precarious" by metaphor to be wilt and wither, represents in distress, fatigue of its growth. We suggest, appeal and call out people’s concern and respect with this local natural ecology. In addition, we hope to motivate our country fellows in search of a growth place for Taiwan Water Lily, and visit its original habitats, and keep records during the process of our self cherish and cultivation. Furthermore, by visiting a number of specialists in aquatic vegetation, landlord of the original existing pond, village Head, and participation of our school and community activities, we share and explain our experiences, hopefully awaken people more concern and care the lovely Taiwan Water Lily and acknowledgement of the importance in reservation, not destroying of the nature.

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:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dial-up modem

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 computer room consists of more than 40 sets of personal computers, which are interconnected by Local Area Network. We can access the huge Internet world through the Internet Service Provider (ISP) by Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). Most of our members use their computer equipments at home to access networks by either 56K digital modem link through various network provider or wide band services (ADSL) after school hour.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

(1) Apportionment of duties Voluntary basis for members to apportion duties in four divisions in this project includes visiting, cultivation, data editing, and creation of web pages. However, most of them are in favor of the fourth division at the very beginning. Kyo Su, our team chief, made the final decision after all.

(2) Tutorship in preparation of web pages As a freshman of middle school, most of our members know not much of website. The basic design and relevant techniques in this regards was provided by INER’s (Institute of Nuclear Energy Research) "Good Neighborhood’s Computer Training Course" in summer vacations. Furthermore, more assistance from Mr. Peir-Jyh Wang and Ms. Mann-Ling Chang, we are able to therefore to create the web pages in network.

(3) Collection of related information Very few information regarding Taiwan Water Lily are available in books, magazines, even from the website. We have been disappointed and worried about whether a wrong subject to be selected? For this, we tried to find the original habitats, visit some specialists, and cultivate by ourselves. Even the photos and poems are all monopolized undertaken by the Young Wave Riders.

(4) Interaction with communities, both care and unite Achieving the objective of "care and unite" is certainly a great challenge to us. We explain and appeal public for the treasure of Lungtan country by means of self-prepared poster, booth arrangement during school thirtieth celebration, Lungtan Herbal Cultural Festival and relevant meetings. In addition, many propagandas were motivated, such as participation of the program "Dialogue Between Land and People" produced by Tzu-Chi TV Station, telephone call-out from the "The E-Generation Moving Ahead" program of the Taipei radio station, and 'People of the Day' report edited by Ms. Shiow-Shan Liao, Taiwan Schools CyberFair 2002.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

The Young Wave Riders were not lonely during the whole process in this research project. Warm calls, deep concern and encourages from schoolmates and family heads were received. All of the motive force pushes us forward. We thank all of you for your kind help and wish more beautiful blossom of the Taiwan Water Lily for people all over the world.

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

Many thanks to our school principal, Ms. Ching-Chu Han, who gives the approval on the nursing pond for the Taiwan Water Lily in front of the school entrance, and establishes an association of "Water Lily" to have a weekly meeting since then. We also thanks to Ms. Feng-Yu Wu, who fully files us with knowledge and experiences in connection with spatterdock and environment protections.

In addition to practice many useful softwares, such as: Word, FrontPage, PhotoImpact, we have advanced our capabilities of document process, search for new sources through different channel, which are fruitful way to realize "Information Education" which is one of the objectives of our school. Four groups in this project were working for different items in research works individually, closely interaction and good communications have been an essence for "Teamwork Cooperation".

The Internet is no limit in time and place, both teaching and learning can be performed whenever we want. Its performance is not comparable for any traditional kind of education, else more, we can search for up to date information, and some best teachers elsewhere. In case, the Internet is as far as you can reach, not only upgrade our capabilities of communication in English but also practice us the valuable experiences on how to find information required.

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

Telephone: To keep contact with persons for interview and to arrange schedule and place for interview, meeting, as well as for some activities.

TV and radio: Good references in VTR and VCR.

TV camera and digital camera system: To pick up images and graphic information.

Scanner: Computer input of text or graphic information

Computer S/W (Word, Flash, PowerPoint, PhotoImpact, FrontPage): Editing the document and graphic information as well as preparation of our website.

Library: INER’s Library, CSIST Dependent’s Library, Taoyuan District Library etc.

Books, newspapers: Wetland in Hope, The World of Plant, Herbal Plant in Taiwan, and all kind of newspapers.

Oral interview: The Head of Lungtan Village, The Society of Wilderness, landlord of the ponds.

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

There are thirteen schoolmates joined in the investigations of the Taiwan Water Lily research work, including interview, record, information collection and nursery all along the whole schedule. After completion of the web pages design training, small teams of a two students group created web pages by themselves according to the subject assigned and presented regularly. In addition, every member of our team becomes spokesman for Taiwan Water Lily, promoting the ecology protections positively by taking advantage of every gatherings and activities, interview from TV and radio stations. As the successful ambassadors of ecological protections, we expect, from town’s promise, that nursery of Taiwan Water Lily in Lungtan Nan-Tien Temple Pond could be realized in the future. Furthermore, we wish the water pool in every school and in every town or village would be a second native place for the lovely spatterdock.

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

(1) Establishment of good interactions between school and communities

We not only visited habitats and learned ecology of the Taiwan Water Lily, but also created better interaction with country fellows in our community. When we marched from school and joined numbers of activities such as the local Herbal Cultural Festival with poster booth prepared by ourselves, we feel that every efforts paid are worthy enough when people grasp in admiration expression. We also had the honor that local representatives and officials came to our booth making extra appraisal and pumping up, allowing us the opportunity to plead on behalf of Taiwan Water Lily. (2) Delivery of concept in ecology protection and familiarization of our native place

In addition to the propaganda of more love and concern with this beautiful rare species, and showing the importance of ecological protection and nurture, we also introduce people in acquaintance with Lungtan, a place of nice mountain and good water, historic excavation, famous tourist point, special products of the place. More understanding and concerns of Lungtan town through our web pages will attract more international guests traveling and visiting here.

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

We have many support and encouragement from Ms. Ching-Chu Han, the principal of our school, and much guidance and instruction from our teachers Ms. June Lai and Ms. Feng-Yu Wu. We also respect our family head of Supporter’s Association who arrange numbers of interview and activities for us. Additionally, Mr. Peir-Jyh Wang, an earnest person, taught us the techniques in creating web pages so we could enter into field in such a short time.

The basic computer concepts from the "Good Neighborhood’s Computer Training Course" provided by INER and the interviews of our town elder, Mr. Ren-Chii Huang, are highly appreciated. Ms. Meng-Li Ko and Mr. Tsung-Fu Yeh from led us to the habitats where Taiwan Water Lily survives, and advise much valuable knowledge and information in this regard. Of course, the landlord opened the pond to our visit and research purposes. Would like to say sincere thanks to all of the above.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

(1) The first hand information we got Our team from knowing nothing about the Taiwan Water Lily up to understanding it and intensive to it was a step-by-step process. The experiences can be acquired neither from classroom nor the textbooks. From our observations, it’s strange to observe the leaves in water and the structure of seeds inside fruit, flower stalks growing along with fore end of the stem. They are all the first hand information and not available in any literatures and documents.

(2) Remember lessons learned and practice our power How to accept or reject those information from collection, interview, and records and how to carry out the subject structure as contents of our web pages, saying, close cooperation and good communications should be an essence of the teamwork. In spite of numbers of problems and difficulties, such as lose of files, virus in computers, and no good correspondence, short of information, improper integration, plus pressure of school lessons, we had to meet and to overcome. We have steeled ourselves on how to find the best solution, how to carry on the project smoothly, and how to transform into the presence of product.