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Hello, Last week I asked for tips in helping our grade 6 students understand Dewey better. Here are the responses I received... Thanks for all your ideas! Kimberly Titus Library Technician Pollard Meadows Elementary Edmonton, AB, Canada kim.titus@gmail.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ I use the concept of money to explain the decimal relationship. 245.6(0) is more that 245.087 for example. Cathy Johnson Freedom High School Oakley, CA 94561 -------------------------------------------------------------------- I find if I relate Dewey to money it works the best. I say that the 001. are broke and only have one dollar where as the 999.87 are much richer. The kids who understand money get this right away. I usually test them using some random numbers like 324.56 and 324.20... which comes first. If they can answer three questions right, then they can shelve. If you are confused as to my high school status, I was a middle school librarian for years and worked with elementary kids on and hit and miss process before that. Anna Brueher Library Media Specialist Silver Stage High School 3755 Spruce Ave. Silver Springs, NV 89429 (775) 577.5071 ext. 25 abrueher@lyon.k12.nv.us -------------------------------------------------------------------- My bet the problem is not so much Dewey as decimal. 456.12 comes before 456.2 "but 12 is bigger than 2!" We really have to work with our 6th grade assistants, and sometimes with the 7th and 8th. Try working with them on how decimals work We get new assistants every 12 weeks so we assign them temporarily some dewey and some fiction and do training on both. Then in a week or so, we review with them, see what they prefer and make assignments for rest of the term. It usually works out about ok. 6 periods -2 each period - 2 periods each 6th, 7th, 8th. Robert Eiffert Librarian, Pacific MS Vancouver WA pac.egreen.wednet.edu/library beiffert@egreen.wednet.edu Librarian in the Middle Blog: www.beiffert.net robert@beiffert.net -------------------------------------------------------------------- I correlate it to money. My high school kids who struggle with shelving can do it when they think about dollars and cents. Jaime Jeanne Meadows St. Helens High School Library Media Center 2375 Gable Road St. Helens, OR 97051 503 366-7417 -------------------------------------------------------------------- How about having your math teacher help teach Dewey? I had never thought of it, but my math teacher informed me that the library is set up using math principles. (This was after I told her I hated math, etc.) What better way to involve a teacher in authentic learning that will benefit the whole school. The real secret to effective shelvers is practice,practice, practice. I have my students place a bright colored bookmark in everything they shelve. Then, later, I go behind them and check for accuracy. That lets me know where the trouble spots are. Ada G. Kent, Librarian Ohio School for the Deaf -------------------------------------------------------------------- Have you seen "Do You Know Dewey?" on Thinkquest. Lots of interactive activities. http://library.thinkquest.org/5002/ Deborah Carson Coordinator, Library Services Santa Clara County Office of Education -------------------------------------------------------------------- Would it help to get them thinking of Dewey numbers like money? And the smallest amount goes first. If there are uneven numbers of decimal points, have them add zeros until the decimals are equal, then put the smallest one first. Just a thought -- it works with my HS aides. Diane Van Gorden, Librarian Baker Middle School / High School Baker, MT dkvg3955 @ yahoo . com vangordend @ baker . k12 . mt . us --------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are two tutorials on Dewey. http://library.thinkquest.org/5002/ http://www.mtsu.edu/~vvesper/dewey.html When I worked in an elementary school, I had a test I used for potential student helpers. I made up sets of about 20 small "books" -- cutouts of drawings of books, about 2" X 3". I used titles and call numbers from actual books in my collection, taking from a section that would take a little thought, for example, the 796s. Simplified drawings of books at an angle that showed the spines (at this angle: http://www.litandphil.org.uk/brewsterrebound.jpg ) I put call numbers on the spines, a set of fiction, a set of nonfiction. I told the students to put the set of "books" in the correct order. After the student finished, I would check it and point out and explain any errors until he/she understood the concept. Once the student could demonstrate an understanding of how the books were arranged in Dewey order (or for fiction, in author order) I would allow him/her to shelve for me. Jan Davies Laurel High School Laurel, Maryland -------------------------------------------------------------------- I have students assist me in shelving as well, and I tell them this: Shelving non-fiction books is like counting money. They can all count money! If they come across more than one book with the same amount on the label, then they alphabetize according to the label. They practice by arranging the books that need to be shelved on a cart. Once I explain it to them in this manner, they get it, and I have very few problems. Amy Young-Buckler Library Media Specialist/Technology Coordinator Greenbelt Middle School Greenbelt, Maryland gmslibrary@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------- I made flash cards of Dewey numbers. Simple one first, Dewey numbers from all over, I believe there were 15 or so in that group. When they could get those quickly in order then I would pull out the "mean" ones. These were 796 numbers, with lots of the decimals all over and even out to the author letters so they would remember the alphabetical order if the whole number matched. Again I believe I had 15 or 20 of these. I believe I had four sets of the first group and three of the second. Each table of students was a group and they would race the other groups to complete the set. Winning table would race me. It was not only a great tool for working with the shelvers, it was a great activity for teaching Dewey arrangement. I cut 3X5 cards in half lengthwise, otherwise they were too big. Jean R. Jean Gustafson Teacher/Librarian Selah Jr. High Selah, WA 98942 jeangustafson@selah.k12.wa.us -------------------------------------------------------------------- The most successful thing for me has always been to tell them it's "like money". It worked for the metric system when I taught science, and it helps with shelving. Sure, there are problems when baseball is 796.357, but sticking a dollar sign in front of something seems to make things much more meaningful for kids! Good luck Susie shighley@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. 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