Drink from a straw cup or juice box
When to use this goal
For children who can drink from a bottle or valve cup but cannot draw liquid through a straw, which limits school milk, juice boxes and water bottles. The SLP's plan and observed attempts decide fit.
- Baseline
- Offer five chances across a snack and record each as drank through the straw, liquid stayed in the straw, or needed squeezing. Note straw length and diameter; short, narrow straws are easier.
- Tips
- Straw drinking lets the child use the same drinks as peers. Practice with preferred drinks the plan allows, in short turns.
- 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. Straws are not safe for every child with a swallowing plan; check with the SLP before starting. The goal does not cover opening the juice box or carton.
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID mt-fd-006.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, during snack, given a straw cup or a juice box with the straw already inserted, the student will close the lips around the straw and drink a sip of liquid with no adult help in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed snacks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at three snacks a week.
Baseline: 1 of 5 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
- 1 of 5 opportunities.
- Annual goal346 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, during snack, given a straw cup or a juice box with the straw already inserted, the student will close the lips around the straw and drink a sip of liquid with no adult help in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed snacks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at three snacks a week.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- During snack, given a straw cup or a juice box with the straw already inserted
- Behavior
- The student will close the lips around the straw and drink a sip of liquid with no adult help
- Criteria
- In at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed snacks
- Evaluation method
- Opportunity-by-opportunity data
- Schedule
- At three snacks 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 4 of 5 opportunities
- Mastery rule:
- on 3 of 4 observed snacks
- Collection schedule:
- at three snacks a week
- Method:
- Opportunity (trial) recording
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, during snack, given a straw cup or a juice box with the straw already inserted, the student will close the lips around the straw and drink a sip of liquid with no adult help in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed snacks, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected at three snacks 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 | # + (of 5) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Record up to 5 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.