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Subject Matter:
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Library Usage and Literacy, Language Arts
- Literature
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Grade Levels:
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3-4
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Time Allotment:
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Six 30-minute class sessions
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Overview
Learning about the library can be intimidating for small children.
As children experience new places and activities, they become less
timid and more willing to use the facilities. This lesson provides
students with an understanding of the purpose of a library and how
information is categorized.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Understand the purpose of the library.
- Recognize fiction and nonfiction.
- Alphabetize books by author's last name.
Oregon Standards Available at:
http://www.ode.state.or.us/cifs
English - Reading
- Locate information and clarify meaning by using illustrations,
tables of contents, glossaries, indexes, headings, graphs, charts,
diagrams and/or tables.
Media Components
Video
Check the link at http://www.opb.org/edmedia/trs/
to find access to the video(s) from unitedstreamingTM referenced
in this lesson plan.
- "Information Please! Your Library in Action" (16:00)
Web
Materials
Per Class:
- Selected books from the nonfiction section of the library (at
least 3 books from each section for a total of 30 books)
- Lined paper representing spine labels
- A big, deep trash can or bucket
- 30 or more old golf balls or Styrofoam balls with names of nonfiction
books written on them (Be sure to have enough balls in the bucket
to make seeking a specific name very difficult.)
- A device for timing students
- One set of bookends
- Different colored paper cut into 10 pie shapes to be re-assembled
into a multi-colored wheel of the Dewey Decimal System in Introductory
Activity
Introductory Activity
Per Group:
Per Student:
- Pencils
- Access to computer with Internet activities
- Smiley-face stickies
Prep for Teachers
This lesson is best taught in a library as students will acquire
a much better understanding of this lesson if they visualize all
of the books in a library.
Prior to teaching this lesson, bookmark all of the Web sites used
in the lesson on each computer in your classroom.
Download the video onto the computer you will use to project the
video. Be certain each computer in the classroom has a copy of the
free Windows Media Player installed (some clips aren't available
for use with QuickTime Player). Also download Macromedia Flash Player.
In addition, download the Activity Handout available at the bottom
of the http://www.gi.esu10.k12.ne.us/Technology/T.I.E./Clark/Dewey
WebQuest/DotheDewey!.html Web site.
When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction,
a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during
or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia
elements.
Introductory Activity
Step 1: Explain to the students that they are going to play
a game - the bucket game. Tell the students that the bucket contains
golf balls with the names of books written on them. The student's
job is to find the golf ball with the name of a specific book on
it. (Example: Find the ball that has the book title What to Name
the Cat on it.) Explain to students that the balls in the bucket
represent different books on different subjects. Give examples of
books that are from differing Dewey Classifications (i.e. Cars
and How They Go by Johanna Cole located in the 600s and Sacagawea,
American Pathfinder by Flora Warren Seymour in the 900s). Assign
each student a book that they should be seeking in the bucket. Time
the students and expect the students to have a hard time finding
their books. Ask the students who participated what they were feeling
during the experience. Explain to students that there are many books
in the library and, without some kind of organized method of finding
a book, it would be as frustrating as finding the book in the bucket.
Step 2: Explain to students that they are going to watch
a video clip of a young man who needs to go to the library. As a
Focus for Media Interaction, have the class predict why Mark
is afraid to go to the library and list the reasons on the whiteboard
or poster board. Play the video, "Information Please!
Your Library in Action" (16:00). Stop the clip at 02:30
and review students' predictions about why they think Mark is afraid
of the library, refocusing the discussion on how many books the
library contains and the need for a method to find information.
Step 3: Explain to the students that they are going to learn
about a system that a gentleman, Mr. Melvil Dewey, created to aid
in the search for books on a specific subject. The classification
system is called the Dewey Decimal System or DDS. Have students
log on to the Internet and open http://www.oclc.org/dewey/about/ddctour/ddc1.html.
Have students select the first tab entitled, "What is the problem
that DDC solves?" As a Focus for Media Interaction,
students will identify two problems that Mr. Dewey's system solved
and they will record these on paper. As students progress through
the site, have them record how the problem was solved. Direct students
to progress through the site until they reach the second tab on
the left: "How does the DDC organize the world's knowledge?"
In the third frame, students can "dial" a DDC category
and it will explain what that category contains. Students should
record all of the main categories and the material each covers on
their pie-shaped pieces of paper. Using this information, students
should create a wheel with multicolored paper and the various spokes
representing the 10 divisions of the Dewey Decimal System.
Learning Activities
Activity 1
Step 1: Divide students into groups of two or three. Have
students log onto the Internet and open
http://www.gi.esu10.k12.ne.us/Technology/T.I.E./Clark/Dewey
WebQuest/DotheDewey!.html. As a Focus for Media Interaction,
students will answer the four questions on the Web page about Melvil
Dewey. Students will access information for the questions by using
the "eye" icon. Upon completion of the questions, use
this Web site to review with the students the categories that the
Dewey Decimal System created.
Step 2: Students should remain in groups of two or three,
and you should distribute a copy of the activity page located at
the bottom of http://www.gi.esu10.k12.ne.us/Technology/T.I.E./Clark/Dewey
WebQuest/DotheDewey!.html to each group. Distribute a set of
books that includes a book from each Dewey Decimal Classification
to each student group. Explain to the groups that their job is to
decide which classification number would be correct for their books.
Make it clear to the students that each book needs to be classified
individually. This can be a timed event, but under normal circumstances
most groups complete this in approximately five minutes. When all
groups have completed this activity, ask students to talk among
themselves and decide on the answer to the following question as
a group: "In your group, what was the most difficult book to
classify and why?" Give the students a few minutes to confer
and develop their answers. Each group must choose one spokesperson.
The spokesperson should explain their group's response to the question
while another student shows the book to the remainder of the class.
Activity 2
Step 1: Play the video, "Information Please!
Your Library in Action" (16:00). Begin where you paused
the video at 02:30 and stop the video at 05:30. As a Focus
for Media Interaction, ask students to identify how many activities
were happening in the library and record these on paper. Instruct
students to create new groups, and each group of students must combine
their lists into one and write the combined list on the board.
Step 2: Have students log on to the Internet and open http://mte.anacortes.k12.wa.us/library/fourth/Dewey2.htm.
As a Focus for Media Interaction, students will use the pull-down
list (down arrow) to select the best choice on the Dewey Classification
by subject area. Upon completion of all of the questions, have students
check their scores by using the check button at the bottom of the
page.
Activity 3
Step 1: Have students log on to the Internet and open http://www.mtsu.edu/~vvesper/dewey.html#What
and scroll down until they reach the question, "What is a call
number?" As a Focus for Media Interaction, students
will determine the call number for a book on butterflies.
Step 2: Using the books previously gathered for group use,
demonstrate for students the three-digit call number on the back
of each book. Also, show the students how the call number is used
to put the book in its proper place on the library shelf. Using
the book, point to the label on the spine that identifies the book's
classification. Discuss the title of the book in relation to the
subject and how these pieces of information aid in finding information.
Using two bookends and three books, show where the book you are
holding would be placed on the shelf by using the call number.
Step 3: Students will demonstrate their understanding of
the Dewey Decimal Classification System and call numbers by playing
the game, "Ooey Dewey." Instructions for the game are
located at http://www.gigglepotz.com/dewey.htm.
Using a whiteboard, put down the initials or last names of each
student. When you call out the number of a Dewey Classification,
students must find that section of the library, pull a book from
the shelf, and identify the call number, author's name and the name
of the book. As students do this successfully, they get two points.
There should be no winners or losers in this game and all students
receive small smiley-face stickies for their clothing after the
game is completed.
Activity 4
Step 1: Have students log on to the Internet and open http://www.thrall.org/dewey/levels.htm.
As a Focus for Media Interaction, ask each student to complete
the three levels in the interactive quiz.
Step 2: Divide students into teams of two once again and
have students log on to the Internet and open http://www.quia.com/fc/298906.html.
As a Focus for Media Interaction, ask your students to complete
the flash card (non-java) exercise. Each member of the team should
take turns identifying the correct Dewey Decimal number or category.
Have students use the flip button to verify their answers.
Culminating Activity
Play the video, "Information Please! Your Library in
Action" (16:00). Begin at 13:22 and play it until
the end. As a Focus for Media Interaction, students will
identify their favorite section of the Dewey Decimal Classification
System and write an essay on how this information will help them
find information in the library.
Cross-Curricular Extensions
Technology
- Have students log on to the Internet and open http://www.webrary.org/ref/weblinksmenu.html.
As a Focus for Media Interaction, have students find the
TV Guide Online to determine what show will be on at 11 p.m. tonight
on Channel 6 (or the channel of your choice).
Library Skills
- Have students log on to the Internet and open http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/ekowalcz/Launchpad/dewey_decimal_links_to_the_world.htm.
As a Focus for Media Interaction, students choose one of
the links and describe one topic that is covered by the Dewey
Decimal number and draw a picture depicting the topic. (Example:
000-099 is Generalities - mysteries, trivia, news, encyclopedias,
reference and computer science. A student might chose Area 51
and depict a flying saucer in their picture.)
Science
- Students must find and research a list of books that can be
used as a scientific reference for information comparing the lion
and the tiger. Students should list the books by title, author
and Dewey Decimal number. Students should identify three books
on each animal and create a PowerPoint presentation on methods
of organizing information from the library for a research unit.
Community Connections
- Invite the local public librarian to come and discuss with students
the importance of being able to find information.
- Take a field trip to a local library and participate in an information
search.
- Take a field trip to the library and have students apply for
a library card.
- Have a local library patron come into the class and tell students
about the impact the library has had on their life.
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