Prepare direction sheets that students will tape into the front cover of the notebooks and prepare one notebook to use as a sample for the students. The sample notebook will have a direction sheet taped into it with the following directions: 1. Write the unfamiliar word; 2. Define the unfamiliar word using a dictionary; 3. Draw a picture to show what the word means; 4. Use the word in a sentence. Make copies of this direction sheet for all students.
Show the students the sample notebook and the direction sheet taped to the inside cover. Inform them they will be using this as new tool in a specific way for improving reading skills. Write the directions on the board. Have student volunteers hand out the direction sheets, notebooks and tape.
Demonstrate using the notebook for the students. First, read a short passage to the group. Then identify an unfamiliar word. Record the word in the sample notebook and show how to go through each direction step.
Identify how often vocabulary builder notebooks will be monitored. You could monitor students' use of the notebook daily during instruction. If they are not using the notebook as expected, reteach how to use it. Encourage students to add words to the notebook that come up outside of the classroom.