How to Teach Dewey Decimals to First-Graders

The shelves of a library hold fascinating information.

Anyone who uses a library can benefit from learning and understanding the Dewey Decimal System. The Dewey Decimal System is a means of categorizing and organizing books in a library, enabling users to locate books either by subject or by number. Even young children should learn about the Dewey system to help them learn to use a library. Teach the Dewey system to first-graders to help introduce them to the way a library works.

Instructions

1. Introduce the system to the children. Tell them that a man named Melvil Dewey invented this number system for organizing library books many years ago and that Dewey's system still is in use in libraries. The Dewey Decimal System sorts nonfiction books by subject, so all the books on the same subject will be together in the library. Define nonfiction for the children and tell them that this system makes it easy for people to find the books they want at the library.

2. Present a brief overview of the subjects in the Dewey system. Keep this simple without getting too technical to avoid overwhelming young children. Tell the children that there are 10 different subjects used for sorting all of the nonfiction books in the library. Mention languages, science and math, science and technology, arts and recreation, and geography and history as some of the subjects the children may recognize and find interesting.

3. Show the children how the numbers correspond to the subjects. For example, books about general subjects and encyclopedias will have numbers between 0 and 99. Books about philosophy -- how people feel and think -- will have numbers between 100 and 199. Books about religion -- different beliefs -- will have numbers between 200 and 299. Books about social studies -- people living together -- will have numbers between 300 and 399. Books about different languages will have numbers between 400 and 499. Books about science will have numbers between 500 and 599. Books about technology will have numbers between 600 and 699. Books about art -- and other fun activities -- will have numbers between 700 and 799. Books about literature will have numbers between 800 and 899. Books about history and geography will have numbers between 900 and 999.

4. Point to the call-number labels on library books and explain that these labels help library workers place books where they belong on the library shelves with the other books on the same subject. First-graders will not be able to recognize most of the numbers of the Dewey Decimal System, but you can show them the labels, tell them what some different numbers are and show them how the numbers help shelve and keep track of books.

References

• Breitlinks: Dewey For Kids