Hit: Using Dewey Books

[Joan Rausch <jmrausch@ROCHESTER.RR.COM>]

I am writing in response to the request for tips on successfully getting
students to make the transition from Easy to Dewey.

The first thing "Effective Teaching" tells teachers
is to tell the students what they are going to learn...then teach it...then
ask them what they have learned.

Clear observable objectives.  At the end of the lesson, (SWBAT) Students
Will Be Able To...identify types of books in the 600 section and locate
these books on the shelves etc.

I teach the students about the Dewey sections(K-5)
I focus on one part of Dewey each lesson, explaining how the books are
organized.

2nd Grade learns Animals (590..599 mammals)  I have animal posters above
with the Dewey number listed right below the poster.  (IE what is a mammal?,
bird, insect, spider amphibian, invertebrate etc.)

The next lesson, we take out a 398.2 fairy tales and legends.
(I explain the dichotomy of make believe books in the "Non-fiction" section
because Mr. Dewey wanted to keep the fairy tales and legend books together
in a special spot as opposed to the Easy or Fiction.)

Then, I introduce reference: Dictionary, encyclopedia, thesaurus and
almanac.  We do a lesson on the types of information found in each book.

When the series of lessons concludes, I ask the 2nd graders to vote for
their favorite section of the library by moving to that spot in the Library.
I am always amazed at the choices the students make.

When looking at a new section, I seat the students on the floor in the
particular section.

I give them an overview of what type of books the section holds--and they
have to decide what type of book they want...before they get up to look for
their book... and I direct them to the particular shelves.

I also have labeled most of my shelves with the Dewey number and the topic.

I had the benefit of a retiring librarian tell me she wished she
had known when she started her career that children are far more interested
in non-fiction than fiction because of their natural curiosity about the
world around them.

Joan Rausch, Librarian
John James Audubon School #33
500 Webster Avenue
Rochester, NY 14609
716-482-9290
jmrausch@rochester.rr.com

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