Dewey Decimal Classification System

Presented to Second & Third Grade Students

Developed by Karen Ward Library Media Specialist Eichold-Mertz Elementary School

Who created the Dewey Decimal Classification System?

 

Melvil Dewey was born on December 10, 1851 Melvil Dewey created the number order system for library books when he was 21 years old. Melvil Dewey started the first school for librarians.

Ten Main Classifications in Deweys System

worlds knowledge is divided into 10 categories or groups.  Each group has a main title and is represented by three numbers.
 The

The Big Ten!

   

Generalities 000 Philosophy 100 Religion 200 Social Science 300 Language 400

    

Science & Math 500 Technology 600 The Arts 700 Literature 800 Geography & History - 900

Brings order to the massive amount of world knowledge

You Can Judge A Book by Its Cover!



 

000 Mea

200 Bya

500 Lee

The Dewey Decimal Classification call number can be found on the spine label. Why? When the book is shelved, the Dewey Decimal Classification call number can be easily seen.

Generalities - 000
 Encyclopedias  News

media  Rare Books

Encyclopedias, References

Philosophy - 100
 Paranormal  Psychology  Logic

phenomena

Man thinks

Religion - 200
 Bible  History

of Christianity  Other Religions

About God

Social Science - 300

 Law  Education  Folklore

About mans neighbors

Language - 400
English  Spanish  Other Languages


Man talks with other men

Natural Science & Math - 500

 Mathematics  Earth

sciences  Plants  Animals

Man discovers all that is around him

Technology 600
 Medicine  Agriculture  Family

living

Man makes useful things

The Arts - 700

 Drawing  Music  Recreational

& performing
Man makes beautiful things

arts

Literature - 800
 American

Literature  Old English Literature  Literatures of Other Languages

Man writes

Geography & History - 900

 Geography  Biographies  Ancient

History
Man writes about travel, people, and events

Flashback! What Do You Remember?

Who created the Dewey Decimal Classification System?  What does the DDCS do for our library?  How many main classifications are there?  Where do you find the DDCS number on a library book?


Resources Used
All clipart taken from the Microsoft Clipart web site: http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx?lc=en-us&cag=1 Information on the Dewey Decimal Classification taken from: Weisburg, H. & Toor, R. Teachers Portfolio of Library Skills Lessons & Activities (1985). The Center for Applied Research in Education, Inc.