Scoop soft food with a spoon
When to use this goal
For young children who finger-feed or are spoon-fed and are starting to hold a spoon, but lose most of the food before it reaches the mouth. Observed snack or lunch bites, not age, decide whether this target fits.
- Baseline
- Count the first ten spoon bites at three snacks or lunches, scoring each as on the spoon at the mouth, spilled, or adult-fed. Note the spoon, bowl and seat; a bowl that slides and feet that dangle make scooping much harder.
- Tips
- Start with thick foods that stay on the spoon and a bowl with a high side to scoop against. A non-slip mat under the bowl helps. Let the child set the pace and stop when full; messy practice is normal and part of learning.
- Limits
- Food textures, liquid thickness, positioning for safe swallowing and any swallowing precautions come from the student's feeding or swallowing plan, which this goal never changes. The count does not show how much the child eats, which is not the target. Children with significant tone or coordination needs may need adaptive utensils first (see the adaptive spoon template).
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID mt-fd-001.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, during snack or lunch, given a food that holds on a spoon (such as yogurt, applesauce or mashed food) in a bowl, the student will scoop the food with the spoon and bring it to the mouth, keeping most of the food on the spoon with no adult hands on the spoon in at least 7 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
Baseline: 2 of 10 opportunities.
- Condition
- Observable behavior
- Criterion
- Measurement method
Measurability check11 of 11 met
Met: Observable behavior. Stated as an action.
Met: Condition. Stated.
Met: Unit fits the behavior. Opportunities fits this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. Number and unit stated.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Both stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Opportunity (trial) recording gives opportunities data.
Met: Review timeframe. Stated.
Met: Baseline and target compatible. Same unit, change in the right direction.
Met: Aligned with area of need. Still about Feeding & Mealtime Skills.
Met: Level of support. Defined.
Met: Blanks filled in. Nothing left to fill in.
Checks structure and wording only. Whether the goal fits the student is the team's call.
Short-term objectives (optional)
When are objectives required?Required for students on alternate assessments (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)); some states require them for everyone.
Paste into your IEP system
Most district systems have a separate box for each part of a goal. Copy them one at a time, or all at once as labeled text.
- Area of need
- Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE) - Feeding & Mealtime Skills
- Baseline
- 2 of 10 opportunities.
- Annual goal426 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, during snack or lunch, given a food that holds on a spoon (such as yogurt, applesauce or mashed food) in a bowl, the student will scoop the food with the spoon and bring it to the mouth, keeping most of the food on the spoon with no adult hands on the spoon in at least 7 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- During snack or lunch, given a food that holds on a spoon (such as yogurt, applesauce or mashed food) in a bowl
- Behavior
- The student will scoop the food with the spoon and bring it to the mouth, keeping most of the food on the spoon with no adult hands on the spoon
- Criteria
- In at least 7 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals
- Evaluation method
- Opportunity-by-opportunity data
- Schedule
- Three meals a week
Copied as plain text, with straight quotes and plain dashes.
Matching data sheet
Opportunity tracker. One box per opportunity in each session.
Opportunity tracker
Opportunities- Student label:
- Target:
- in at least 7 of 10 opportunities
- Mastery rule:
- on 3 of 4 observed meals
- Collection schedule:
- three meals a week
- Method:
- Opportunity (trial) recording
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, during snack or lunch, given a food that holds on a spoon (such as yogurt, applesauce or mashed food) in a bowl, the student will scoop the food with the spoon and bring it to the mouth, keeping most of the food on the spoon with no adult hands on the spoon in at least 7 of 10 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed meals, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected three meals a week.
Key: + demonstrated independently · P demonstrated with a prompt (note type) · − not demonstrated · NA no opportunity occurred
| Date | Activity / context | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | # + (of 10) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Record up to 10 opportunities per session, matching the goal's denominator.
- Define in advance what counts as an opportunity so every data collector records the same thing.
- Count only + marks toward the criterion unless the goal specifies prompted responses.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets, with formulas. Sheets print blank; no student data is stored.