Tips to Report a "possible Dewey sighting"

Do you think you saw Dewey? Would you like to share the picture and story? It's easy. All you need is a digital camera and a little imagination.

The MOST CREATIVE "possible Dewey sighting" photo and story for 2008-2009 will win a prize of a Flip Video camera for your classroom. Stay tuned for more details! Increase your chances. Start submitting NOW. Limit: one submission per teacher per week.

You have a choice of putting Dewey "in the picture" one of two ways:

The low-tech way:

Download a large, printable picture of Dewey (side view or front view). RIGHT-click on the link above and Save Target As to save it on your own computer for printing. Print it out and attach it to cardboard or foam-core per the directions on the printable. Then place it somewhere in your community or school. Take a digital picture of Dewey "on location." Be creative! Upload your picture and fill in the form with your class' story of your possible Dewey sighting. See below for detailed instructions, if needed.

OR

The high-tech way:

Download our .jpg image (right-click to download side view or front view) of Dewey and save it to your computer. Take a digital picture of a location in your school or community. It MUST be an image YOU OWN, not one you copy off the web or get from someone else. Use photo-editing software such as Photoshop Elements or any other program you may have to combine our downloaded Dewey image into your photo to create a new "picture" of Dewey where you "saw" him. Upload your edited picture and fill in the form with your class' story of your possible Dewey Sighting. Your class MUST have taken the picture or have permission from the actual photographer (a parent, perhaps?).

Show me how:
How-to details
Lesson Ideas and Tips for Dewey sightings
Photography tips
Questions you might have

How-To Details

Low tech (printable Dewey)

1. DOWNLOAD either printable image of Dewey here. Simply RIGHT-click on the file name and choose "Save Target As" (on a MAC it's Save Link As) to save it to your computer. Make sure you remember the file name and where you saved it:
   
   Printable Dewey- Front View
   Printable Dewey - Side View
   (Printables require Acrobat Reader-- get it here, if these will not open)
   
   
2. Read directions in the Acrobat Reader files on how to print and assemble Dewey! Make sure he is attached to a stiff surface (cardboard or foam core), so he can "stand" for his picture.
3. Take your pictures (see Tips) and save them to your computer. Images MUST be jpg files (the usual kind from digital cameras).
4. Select your best picture for your Dewey Sighting. Note the file name and location.
5. Write an accompanying brief story in a word processing program and save it where you can find it. If you plan to submit several Dewey sightings during the year, use a DATE as part of a meaningful file name.
6. Have the word processor file for the story open on your computer, as well.
7. Go to the upload page and Browse to locate and select your image file. Do NOT click submit yet!
8. With the form still open, enter the other information, including your copy/pasted story in the Caption area.
9. CLICK SUBMIT and wait for your file to upload.
10. Check back in a few hours to see your "Dewey sighting" online.

HIgh-Tech (using photo software):

1. DOWNLOAD a jpg image of Dewey here. Simply RIGHT-click on the file name and choose "Save Target As" (on a MAC it's Save Link As) to save it to your computer. Make sure you remember the file name and where you saved it:
   
   jpg Dewey- Front View
   jpg Dewey - Side View
   
   
   
2. Take your pictures (see Tips) and save them to your computer. Images MUST be jpg files (the usual kind from digital cameras).
3. OPen both your own picture and hte downloaded Dewey images in a photo editing program such as Photoshop elements.
4. Select and delete the white background around Dewey.
5. copy Dewy and paste him into your photo, using the program's tools to move and adjust as needed.
6. Save your new image(s) with meaningful files name(s). It MUST be a jpg file!
7. Select your best "created" picture for your Dewey Sighting. Note the file name and location.
8. Write an accompanying brief story in a word processing program and save it where you can find it. If you plan to submit several Dewey sightings during the year, use a DATE as part of a meaningful file name.
9. Have the word processor file for the story open on your computer, as well.
10. Go to the upload page and Browse to locate and select your image file. Do NOT click submit yet!
11. With the form still open, enter the other information, including your copy/pasted story in the Caption area.
12. CLICK SUBMIT and wait for your file to upload.
13. Check back in a few hours to see your "Dewey sighting" online.

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Lesson ideas and tips for reporting a possible Dewey Sighting:

As your students follow Geo and Meri's travels, ask them what might happen if Geo and Meri came to your town or state. Have students write a short story about the visit. Use the writing lesson to reinforce language arts skills you are currently studying or to require students to use geography and map terms correctly in context. Then select a story to illustrate with a photograph for a possible Dewey Sighting.

Allow students to conduct research on a local site of interest or historical location. Require students to use accurate information, geography terms, and social studies concepts in writing a story about a possible Dewey sighting there. Use your own digital pictures to create a Dewey sighting image. You MUST own or have permission from the owner of any image you include. NO images downloaded or copied from the web are permitted! This outside research option is a great way to challenge your more advanced learners or to have students work in cooperative, heterogeneous groups.

Write up stories in a word processing program so you can easily copy/paste them into the form along as you upload your picture. Typing into a web page is tedious!

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Photo tips for taking pictures of printable Dewey: (most tips apply in creating electronic poses, as well)

Place Dewey closer to the camera than the background scene you want to include.

Take your pictures in bright light (not necessarily direct sunlight). This will increase the chances of having everything in focus. Indoor pictures may be more difficult.

Take the picture from Dewey's eye level or lower to make him seem larger and more prominent in the picture.

Move closer of move Dewey so the "flat Dewey" fills at least one third of the frame of your picture. It often looks best if he is on one side or the other, rather than in the middle.

Take several shots, since you may not have everything in focus. You often cannot tell until you see the pictures on your computer.

Encourage students to think of creative ways to "pose" Dewey. Digital pictures are free, so take many to find one good one.

Give younger students a 3 by 5 index card with a small rectangle "viewfinder" cut in the center so they can practice "framing" pictures in a scene using an object such as a stuffed animal.

Ask your art teacher to help with a lesson on creative composition.

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Does it cost anything to report a possible Dewey Sighting?
No. As with all of TeachersFirst and Globetracker's Mission, this activity is free and ad-free.

Can each of my students upload a picture and story?
Afraid not. We limit you to one picture and story per teacher per week. You might want to rotate the opportunity so everyone gets a chance or conduct a mini-contest to decide which photo your class wants to submit.

Do I need special software or skills?
No. All you need to know how to do is download and print an Acrobat Reader file (and we give directions), print it, cut it out and paste to cardboard or foam core, take a digital picture and know how to get the picture off the camera and save it on your computer. You will need to remember where you saved it, of course! If you can find it, you can upload it. If you or a student have skills with photo software, you may use that instead.

Why do you ask for my name and email?
If TeachersFirst has any difficulty with your image, we want to be able to contact you. We will not display this information online! We will, of course, give credit to your class/school in displaying the name as you provide it to us.

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