Herriman

The other day I couldn't get my curriculum up and running so I decided to do a hands on experiment with my 6th and 5th graders.  I have 6th graders at 8:45 in the morning and then 5th graders at 9:50 so this experiment worked great.

First I checked in all the books that were from the night before and the ones returned from that morning.  Then I separated them into two different piles making sure they both had about the same amount of FIC, NON FIC, and E books.  I set them on a table out on the floor and put a empty book cart by each pile.

When the class came in I told them that we were going to have a test on the sections of the Media Center.  I asked if anyone thought they knew the four main parts of the media Center.  I had that person come up to the front of the group.  I asked them to not point at the section but to only name them.  These could be in any order.  Answer: FIC Then I asked if anyone knew where to find the FIC section, many students raised their hands, depending on the size of the class I choose 3 to 4 students and then asked them to go stand by the FIC sections.  Next Answer:  E  then I would ask for more volunteers to stand by the E sections. Next Answer:  Biographies.  Volunteers for that section. Last Answer:  NON FICTION or Dewey Decimal.  4 or 5 students to go stand by the NON FICTION carts.  I try to leave 8 to 12 students still sitting on the rug while everyone else is standing by their sections.

Now I divide up the students on the reading rug sending 3 or 4  to stand by the empty carts.  Make sure both carts have the same amount of people.  Try to have two people left on the rug for judges.

Now call all students that are standing by sections to come back and sit on the rug.  

Explain to the students that are at the empty carts that they are going to race the other team.  They have to separate their pile of books into three different section on the cart E, FIC, and NON FIC.  We take a minute to talk about how the first three letters of the authors name is on the E and FIC and I let them know that they will need to alphabetize them on the cart.  Then we talk a little about NON FIC or Dewey Decimal System and I tell them that they will need to organize that section by the numbers.  Then they race.   

After the race we talk about speed and accuracy.  The 2 judges then check for accuracy and any books that are in the wrong spot they put back on the table.  It is amazing how well the students can do this.
Ater congratulating them on the knowledge of the Media center, I put in a real BIG plug for shelf markers and how important it is for them to use them properly to help keep our books straight in the Media Center.  Just putting a book three books from the right place could put it in a whole different subject.  I use 599.77 foxes  and 599.78 Bears as an example. 
This took about 10 to 12 min  giving the about 8 minutes to check out.


After they left I just put the books back on the table mixed up a little and had the demostration ready for the 5th graders.