Review fiction versus non-fiction. Make sure students are aware of the differences between fiction and non-fiction.
Tour the library. Have students take you on a tour of the library so that you can assess what they know about the general location of materials, such as fiction versus non-fiction. Give an extra tour to students who don't know the general location of materials.
Discuss a question. Pose a question that will interest the students, such as, "Where is the world's largest amusement park?" or "What do tigers eat?" Talk about where in the library they can find the answer. Send them to the shelves for a few minutes to look.
Analyze the problem. Chances are, students will not be able to find the correct book in the time allotted because they don't know the Dewey Decimal System. Talk to them about any difficulties they had.
Talk about the Dewey Decimal System. Read a book like "Bob the Alien Discovers the Dewey Decimal System" by Sandy Bridget Donovan or "The Shelf Elf Helps Out" by Jackie Mims Hopkins to introduce students to the topics.
Examine reference books. Place baskets of reference materials where the students can access them and look at their Dewey numbers.
Use the poster. Students can guess (either out loud or on paper) what section their books come from based on the Dewey numbers and what the Dewey poster says.
Try a scavenger hunt. Give each student an index card with a different Dewey Decimal number on it. You can include more decimal points and the author's last name for the upper grades, less information for the lower grades. Students should find the correct location within the reference section and place the index card there.
Choose topics. Students should choose a topic they would like to research.
Check the chart. Using the Dewey Decimal System poster, students should write down what section they think their topic will be in.
Find the materials. Students should find between three and five books on their chosen topics.
Put away the materials. After trading with another student, each student should put the topic books back on the shelf.