Bibliographic Instruction
Dewey Decimal – Elementary
Roxana Caivano
Basic Information
Name of Lesson: Dewey Decimal System
Lesson Grade Level: 3rd
Additional Grade Level(s): 2nd, 4th
Curriculum Area(s)
3.1F, 3.1H, 3.3B, 3.4A, 3.4B, 4.1A 8.1A
Lesson Goals and Objective(s)
General Goal of Lesson: Students will demonstrate a general knowledge of the Dewey
Decimal System, its history, categories, and placement of books on the shelves. Students
will be introduced to classification systems and how they work.
Objectives of Lesson:
 Students will gain an understanding of the 10 general categories of the Dewey
Decimal System.
 Students will be able to identify what category subjects fall into.
 Students will be able to find books on the OPAC and locate them on the shelves.
Activities:
Lesson 1:
 Background – History of Melvin Dewey and his classification system.
 Introduce each 100s group and explain which types of books are in each category.
Distribute Dewey Classification Handout (Handout #1 below).
 Video: Using The Dewey Decimal System, Schlessinger Media.
Lesson 2:
 Power Point presentation – Review of Dewey Decimal classifications.
 Class Participation – As review, teacher will call out random subjects and
students will decide which category that subject falls into.
 Demonstration and Class Participation – Teacher will choose books from each
category and students will decide what category the books fall into.
Lesson 3:
 Review of Dewey Decimal classifications.
 Activity – Distribute list of 15 books to classify (Worksheet #1 below).
Independent activity.
 Activity – Distribute list of 10 books to find on shelves (Worksheet #2 below).
Students will work in pairs.
Assessment:
Assessment plan: At the end of the lesson, students should be able to complete the
following tasks properly:
 Students will be given a worksheet containing 15 book titles and should place
those titles in the appropriate Dewey category.
 Students will be given a list of 10 different books. They will search for the books
on the OPAC and locate them on the shelf.
Timeline:
Lesson will take 3 – 40 minute class periods to complete.
Class period lessons are outlined above.
 1st class period is instructional
 2nd class period is review and demonstration
 3rd class period is review and assessment
Resources Used:
 OPAC database
 Video
 Powerpoint presentation
 Demonstrations
 Observations
 Handout
 Worksheets
Handouts & Worksheets:
Handout #1: Dewey Decimal Classifications Handout:
Dewey No. Classification
Type of Category
Type of Book
000- 099
General Works
Lots of information in
one book or set of
books.
Encyclopedias, general reference
works, computers, codes, and
oddities
100-199
Philosophy and
Psychology
What and how do we
think?
Optical illusions, brain research,
question and answer books.
200-299
Religion and
Mythology
Who is the creator?
Bible stories, religions of the
world, Greek myths.
300-399
Social Science
How do people
communicate and get
along?
Communication, education, law,
sociology, transportation,
etiquette, folklore and fairy tales.
400-499
Language
What language do you
speak?
Grammar books, sign language,
dictionaries, and picture books
in many languages.
Natural Science
What is in this world
around us?
Experiments, mathematics,
astronomy, chemistry, physics,
geology, biology, and
dinosaurs. Books on specific
animals are also found here.
600-699
Applied Science
How do we make
nature work for us?
Anatomy, medicine, airplanes,
space travel, cookbooks and
domesticated animals such as
dogs, cats, and horses.
700-799
Arts and Recreation
What do you do for
fun and creativity?
Art, artists, how-to-draw books,
crafts, origami, music, joke and
riddle books, and sports
800-899
Literature
We act and read
poetry.
Poetry, plays and classic
literature.
900-999
Geography & History
Where do you live?
History, geography and travel,
atlases, explorers, and multiple
biographies
500-599
Worksheet #1: Books to Classify
100s
Group
000 – 099
100 – 199
200 – 299
300 – 399
400 – 499
Dewey Decimal
Classification
General Works
Philosophy and Psychology
Religion and Mythology
Social Science
Language
Title of Book
Exploring the American West
A Snake’s Body
How My Family Lives in
America
Learn to Draw in 3D
Why Do We Laugh?
Which Way to the Milky Way?
The Official Cheerleading Manual
Book of Words
A Cat’s Body
Exploring the Library
Tales from China
The Gods of Mt. Olympus
Rhymes About Us
Machines at Work – Airplanes
Digging up Dinosaurs
100’s
Group
100s
Group
500 – 599
600 – 699
700 – 799
800 – 899
900 – 999
Dewey Decimal
Classification
Natural Science
Applied Science
Arts and Recreation
Literature
Geography & History
Dewey
Classification
Worksheet #2: Books to locate on shelves
Title of Book
A Street Through Time
Rocks Tell Stories
In the Beginning
Super Simple Paper Airplanes
How To Be A Friend
The Best Ever Kids Book of Lists
Care of Uncommon Pets
Jelly Beans for Sale
In a Pickle and Other Funny Idioms
The Ice Cream Store
Dewey Decimal Number