Deb's+Dewey+Decimal

Upper grade teachers often want a quick skills lesson so the students will have time to get their resources. Prior to doing my dewey decimal lesson, I shared my observation with several teachers about how their students were gathering resources for research like hunters and gatherers. A group will spread out and scan shelves for books. When one person finds a book about their topic, s/he signals the others who then go there to harvest those books with their topic in the title. Although students know how to use the OPAC, they have problems using the computer, so they choose to "hunt and gather".

The purpose of this lesson is to make both teacher and students aware of the benefits of using the OPAC and understand the dewey decimal system while requiring them to do some critical thinking about their topic.

• Nonfiction helps us to understand our world -- people from the past that influence our lives today. • Dewey decimals divide all nonfiction books into 10 categories. • Information about a civilization or culture can be found in a variety of areas in the nonfiction section.
 * Concept/Focus/Big Idea:**

• Some students browse the 900 section to find books about their assigned culture whether it be ancient civilizations or countries. • Some children avoid using computers because they have problems logging on or using appropriate search strategies and/or spelling. • Some children have problems using nonfiction call numbers, especially, long decimals. • Children are unaware of the significance of the different dewey numbers.
 * Personal understandings (What we assume students already know about the concept/big idea):**

• Have their assigned or personal questions/wonderings/issues about the culture or civilization • Be able to log on to the computer • Able to do basic keyword search • Have a list of keywords (may not be a complete or long list)
 * Skills and/or concepts needed (What children need to know to be able to do this lesson):**

• dewey decimal chart (this chart provides samples of what the category includes) • Post-its with students questions on them • Extra blank post-its and pen/marker • Sample books relevant to the questions and research from different nonfiction sections.
 * Equipment/Resources/Materials:**

• Sign up for lesson and computer lab • Email students' questions to librarian • OPTIONAL: Have students bring a search strategy/research log and pencil. • Walk around during OPAC searches and have children share what they're doing and/or finding.
 * Teacher responsibilities:**

• Prep for lesson: have enlarged dewey decimal chart, write students' questions on post-its, pull books for samples. • Lesson: 1- With dewey chart do a quick overview of what each category means. 2- Using dewey chart and several children's questions, ask children to predict which category might have helpful resources for their questions. Ask children to explain their predictions. Example: Student question, "What did ancient Roman women do?" Librarian: Besides the 900's, where else might there be books to answer this question? Student: 300's. Librarian: Why? Student: Because it's daily life, stuff people do in life. Librarian: So you might find something like this (show sample book from 300 and read title). //This works because the librarian knows the collection and which books to pull//. 3- Debrief: Is it guaranteed that you'll find all the books you need in one nonfiction area? Why? 4- Before students do OPAC searches, review logging on procedures and that they need to write at least the title and call number for their book or video. 5- Walk around during OPAC searches and have children share what they're doing and/or finding.
 * Librarian responsibilities:**

1- Have questions/wonderings/issues 2- Have list of keywords, make sure spelled correctly 3- Participate in discussions and predictions 4- Log on to server and do keyword search on OPAC 5- Record searches and results. Write at least title and call number. Followup : Go to library to locate and borrow resource.
 * Student responsibilities:**

With some groups, they have problems with thinking of keywords. I let children know that if they don't have several keywords, they may not be successful in getting resources. It's like trying to read the minds of the people who work on the catalogs.
 * Modification:**

After going over the dewey decimal lesson, I give groups a chart paper with one of the research questions at the top and ask them to come up with more keywords by looking at the chart. Example: Students' question may be "What kind of homes did Ancient Chinese have?" Librarian: What's an important word other than "Ancient Chinese"? Student: Homes Librarian: Look at the chart, what words would match with home? Student: Buildings (600), architecture (700), daily life (300) because they live in their home everyday and it's part of their life [that's a sixth grader's logic].