Do the Dewey!!!
If you had gone into a library a long, long time ago, you would
have been very surprised to find that librarians put the books on the
shelves by their color or size. Think how hard it would have been to
find a nonfiction book if you didn't know its size or its color.
You are going to find out about a man who decided to change all
that. He wanted more people to use libraries and read more books. So
he made an easier and faster way for people to find nonfiction books.
His name was Melvil Dewey. You are going to learn more about him
by going to some sites on the Internet, and then more about the way
he decided to arrange books.
Materials that you will need: pencil and answer sheet that your
teacher will give you.
Click on
to see a picture of Melvil
Dewey.
Click
on
to find the
answers to these questions. You will need to write the answers on the
paper that your teacher will give you.
1. When was Melvil Dewey born?
2. How many years ago was that? (HINT: Subtract the year he was
born from the year it is now.)
3. What was Mr. Dewey's job when he grew up to be an adult?
4. What did he call the new way he arranged nonfiction books?
As you read, Melvil Dewey arranged nonfiction books by the
subject of the book. The subject means what the book is about. He put
all subjects into 10 groups called classes. He called the system,
"The Dewey Decimal System".
Click
on
to see the
ten groups or classes. Click on the OOO's to find titles of books
that would fit in the General Knowledge class. After looking at the
title in this class, go to the bottom of the chart and click on
"Dewey 100" to find the next class. Continue until you have seen all
10 classes.
Let's play a game to help you remember the 10 main classes of the
Dewey Decimal System.
Click on
to go to
the game. Click on "Find Out". When you have answered the question
and clicked on "OK", you will need to click on "Find Out" to continue
the game.You will need to write your answers on the answer sheet as
well as entering it on the computer. If you need help, you may use
the chart from your answer sheet.
You may now logout of the computer. Turn your answer sheet over.
You will find a list of nonfiction book titles found in our Media
Center. You will need to use your Dewey Decimal Chart and figure out
the Dewey class number and class name for each title.
If you wish more information, you may contact
ccure@esu10.org or bclark@esu10.org