School: Lanzhou 18th middle school
    Lanzhou, Gansu, China

3 students, ages 16-18 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 4, 2010. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2009

Classes and Teachers: Feng fa

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://gs000064.edu.17888.com/

1. Description of Our Community

The place we live is the only place for the Yellow River’s main source---Huangshui River and Datong River, the most exotic stones was located in our district.

2. Summary of Our Project

Lanzhou Yellow River exotic stones take stones with pictures as major, which are delicate in texture and most of them are jade texture with simple and unsophisticated color and grain. People's collection for Yellow River exotic stones has lasted for several hundred years.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:none

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

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

1. Lack of experience. Since this was the first time we took part in competition and we were not familiar with website making software, finally, we decided to use the platform based on CISS. 2 Lack of time. Two of our three members were in Senior Grade 3 and in face of College Entrance Examination, so we can only use one day of our weekend to take photos, interview and record. 3 Difficult to interview. Since we were not familiar with the personal enthusiast, after the introduction from our relatives and friends, we finally began to know and interview the related person.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

As student, one can not only focus on study, we should also pay attention to the environment we live and learn to observe and discover. Miracle may exist around us but not everyone can discover it. We should take part in this competition with a optimistic mood to discover and get close to the nature. All in all, we benefited a lot from this competition. At last, we wish that we would have a great result.

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

Through the students' participant and the research of the Yellow River exotic stones around the school, we acknowledged that exotic stones can help us to develop our local activity and increase our income and better solve the 'Three Agriculture' problem.

This activity also contributes to our school curriculum needs: the development of school-based teaching materials. Our school has decided to include the western part story for school-based teaching materials; the whole process of this event will be the focus. In the process of investigation and making web pages, students encouraged each other, communicated with each other, they began from knowing nothing to master the basic knowledge and skills, which not only enhanced the friendship between us, but also enhanced our team spirit. We knew that efforts should be made to seriously study and understand scientific and cultural knowledge and skills, through social practice and investigative activities, we implemented the CPC Central Committee's scientific concept of development and train our capacity to participate in social practice activities, from social practice, we felt the importance of studying scientific and cultural knowledge, which will also help prompted us to learn better in various courses.

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

During the process of finishing the special research project, we used telephone, computers, digital cameras, books and software like photoshop. The software was provided by teachers and digital cameras provided by the school, while some students' parents also introduced their colleagues to help us find the information of stones In order to accomplish this task, besides personally visited students' parents, our teachers also lead our team to the the Yellow River stones associations to have a detailed field interviews. We have been received and welcomed warmly everywhere, because we are students and our main task is study; of course, the recipients knew that our website would help them to sell their stones, it's granted that they enthusiastically welcome us.

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

In order to make the stones around us into goods displayed to the world and let the world know of the Yellow River brought economic value to Lanzhou people and provided a way to amass wealth the poverties in the villagers. We mapped out a plan and then through relatives of our classmate, we carried out investigation and interview, our teacher also helped us to contact the president of the Yellow River stones Association, which brought us great convenience. We Left our contacts to the people we visited and established friendly relationship with them.

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

Our hard-working interview waked up local residents to treasure their local resources and let more people understand the collection value of Yellow River exotic stones that 'gold has a price, stone is priceless,' and felt the great power of the Yellow River Mother, and strived to a wealthy road.

The information we collected, especially on the secret history of the formation of Yellow River exotic stones, which broadened the mind of local residents and gave lives with hope.

When the rest in the world saw our website, I believed that they will definitely come here and appreciate our local resources - Yellow River exotic stones. Our website will play a very good promoting role for local stores.

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

The software was provided by teachers and digital cameras provided by the school, while some students' parents also introduced their colleagues to help us find the information of stones In order to accomplish this task, besides personally visited students' parents, our teachers also lead our team to the the Yellow River stones associations to have a detailed field interviews. We have been received and welcomed warmly everywhere, because we are students and our main task is study; of course, the recipients knew that our website would help them to sell their stones, it's granted that they enthusiastically welcome us.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

At first, our teacher recommended us to do a website but we had no confidence in this project, for it will have impact on our study; the lack of digital cameras; fewer people; costs for interviews and transportation; lack of experience for making website. However, under the patient guidance of our teacher, our plan began to take shape, and then we produced a strong interest in it, our work and our nick name would also be on the Internet. Through participating in this event, we improved a lot in interpersonal exchanges, learned what we could not learn in school. During the process of interviews and searching information online, we knew the economic value of the Yellow River exotic stones would bring local farmers considerable economic benefits and made contribution to the villagers. At the same time, we also felt the importance of team work; we knew that only one person was not able to fulfill the task. Although when we distributing our work we had arguments with our teacher and under the coordination with the teacher, we learned communication and understanding, we were very happy to participate in this website competition, this was a rare opportunity!