The Story of Numbers Used for Nonfiction Books

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The Story of Numbers Used for Nonfiction Books
About 150 years ago, Melvil Dewey created a
system of classifying books which is used today
in many libraries. He choose certain main
subjects and numbers so that all nonfiction
books, on the same subject would be together on
the shelf.
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Mr. Dewey called it the Dewey Decimal System of
Classification
Mr. Dewey choose subjects by imagining himself to
be a prehistoric caveman. He asked himself
questions that he thought a caveman would ask
about himself.
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Mr. Dewey asked the next 10 questions that made
up the 10 major divisions. So your question is,
Can you Do the Dewey?
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So now lets start
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Early man first asked . . .
Who Am I?
100's
Philosophy and Psychology Man Thinks About
Himself
6
Then he asked . . .
Who Made Me?
200's
Religion Man Thinks About God
7
Who is the man in the next cave?
300's
Social Science Man thinks about other people
8
How can I make that man understand me?
400's
Language Man learns to communicate with others
through words.
9
How can I understand nature and the world around
me?
500's
Science Man learns to understand nature on the
land, in the sea, and in the sky.
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There are 10 subdivisions of the 500s

• 500 Pure Science
• 510 Mathematics
• 520 Astronomy
• 530 Physics
• 540 Chemistry

• 550 Earth Sciences
• 560 Prehistoric World
• 570 Life science
• 580 Plants
• 590 Animals

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Books on numbers are in the 510s
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Books on Earth Sciences are in the 550s
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You can find dinosaurs in the 560s
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Books on plants and trees are in the 580s.
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So lets look at a few 500 titles! All of the
books on animals are in the 590s.
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Now you try and pick the title that belongs in
the 500s! Click on A or B
A
B
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Yep! Youre Right! titles about animals belong
in the 500s.
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Gosh, you didnt pick the right one! Look again
at a few more 500s
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500s are books on Pure Science
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Here are more 500s
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Which book belongs in the 500s? A or B?
A
B
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Youre a Genius! Now try the next Dewey section
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Oops! Its time for another review. Start at the
top of the 500s.
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600's
600's
How can I use what I know about nature?
Applied Science and Useful Arts Early man learned
about fire, the wheel, about medicine, planting
crops, cooking food, and how to make all the
things we use.
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How can I enjoy my leisure time?
700's
Fine Arts and Recreation By this time, primitive
man had more time to do the things he enjoyed.
He learned how to paint pictures, create music,
dance and play games.
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There are 10 subdivisions of the 700s

• 700 The arts
• 710 Landscape art
• 720 Architecture
• 730 Sculpture
• 740 Decorative arts

• 750 Painting
• 760 Graphic arts
• 770 Photography
• 780 Music
• 790 Recreation

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The 750s section has books on painting. Check
out these titles!
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The books on SPORTS are in the 790s!
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You will find board games and photography here
too. Here are a few more tiles from the 700s.
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Placed in the 700s are books that talk about
leisure activities. The 700s hold books on music
and magic.
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Now you try and pick the title that belongs in
the 700s! Click on A or B
A
B
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Yep! Youre Right! Sports titles belong in the
700s.
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Gosh, you didnt pick the right one! Look again
at a few more 700s
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Here are more 700s. Things that we do in our
leisure time.
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Which book belongs in the 700s? A or B?
A
B
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Youre a Genius! Now try the next Dewey section
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Oops! Its time for another review. Start at the
top of the 700s.
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How can I give my children a record of my heroic
deeds?
800's
Literature Man became a storyteller. He creates
sagas, fables, poetry, and plays. Later man puts
these into writing for all people to read.
39
How do I leave a written record for men in the
future?
900's
History, Geography, Biography So man began to
write about people and events that happened
everywhere.
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The 900s have 10 further divisions.

• 960 History of Africa
• 960 History of North America
• 970 History of North America
• 980 History of South America
• History of other parts of the world

• 900 History
• 910 General geography and travel
• 920 Biographies
• 930 Ancient History
• 940 History of Europe
• 950 History of Asia

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BIOGRAPHIES are in the 920s
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ANCIENT HISTORY is in the 930s
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HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA is in the 970s
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Which book belongs in the 900s?
B
A
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Yep! Youre Right! titles about animals belong
in the 900s
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Youre a Genius! Now try the next Dewey section
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Gosh, you didnt pick the right one! Look again
at a few more 900s
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Here are a few more books from the 900 section.
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Lets look again at the 900s! Here is history,
geography, and biography
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So what do you think? Are you ready to try
again? A or B?
A
B
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Yep! Youre Right! titles about history and
biographies belong in the 900s
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Youre a Genius! Now try the next Dewey section
53
Gosh, you didnt pick the right one! Look again
at a few more 900s
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Oops! Its time for another review. Start at the
top of the 900s.
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General Works
000's
The numbers up to 100 are used for
bibliographies, books about books, and for books
that contain information on many subjects such as
encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference
books.
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From 000 to 99 are the General Reference titles.
Atlases
Encyclopeidas
Almanacs
Thesaurus
Dictionaries
Reference
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Did you do the Dewey? Now do a Dewey Review!
100's Philosopy
200's Religion
300's Social Science
400's Language
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500's Pure Science
600's Technology Applied Science
700's Fine Arts
800's Literature
900's History
000's General Reference
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You are now a Dewey Caveman