Write a descriptive paragraph using sensory details
When to use this goal
For students whose descriptions are general (it was nice, it was big) and who rarely use details that appeal to the senses or precise adjectives. Present levels should show paragraph-length output.
- Baseline
- Score two or three descriptions written under the goal's conditions with each row scored 0 to 3. Tally the number of sensory details and the number of general words such as good, nice, or big, so you can show change in word choice as well as the total score.
- Tips
- Give the student something concrete to describe; abstract topics make sensory detail hard for anyone. Teach the senses chart as a planning tool and fade it if the goal is written as independent. Score the paragraph for description only; organization and conventions belong to other goals.
- Limits
- The rubric cannot distinguish a long list of adjectives from a well-chosen few, so the top descriptor for word choice should name quality, not count. Topic familiarity affects detail. Students with limited vocabulary may need a word bank as a permanent support.
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID wr-exp-010.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, given a familiar object, place, or photograph to describe and a 20-minute writing period, the student will write a descriptive paragraph that names the subject and includes details about how it looks, sounds, feels, smells, or tastes independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 9-point descriptive writing rubric, on 3 of 4 consecutive scored writing samples, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
Baseline: 3 out of 9 rubric points.
- 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. Rubric score fits this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. Number and unit stated.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Both stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Rubric scoring gives rubric score 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 Written Expression.
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
- Writing - Written Expression
- Baseline
- 3 out of 9 rubric points.
- Annual goal472 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, given a familiar object, place, or photograph to describe and a 20-minute writing period, the student will write a descriptive paragraph that names the subject and includes details about how it looks, sounds, feels, smells, or tastes independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 9-point descriptive writing rubric, on 3 of 4 consecutive scored writing samples, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- Given a familiar object, place, or photograph to describe and a 20-minute writing period
- Behavior
- The student will write a descriptive paragraph that names the subject and includes details about how it looks, sounds, feels, smells, or tastes independently
- Criteria
- Earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 9-point descriptive writing rubric, on 3 of 4 consecutive scored writing samples
- Evaluation method
- A defined scoring rubric
- Schedule
- Every two weeks
Copied as plain text, with straight quotes and plain dashes.
Matching data sheet
Rubric tracker. Scores each rubric criterion and totals them.
Rubric tracker
Rubric score- Student label:
- Target:
- earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 9-point descriptive writing rubric
- Mastery rule:
- on 3 of 4 consecutive scored writing samples
- Collection schedule:
- every two weeks
- Method:
- Rubric scoring
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, given a familiar object, place, or photograph to describe and a 20-minute writing period, the student will write a descriptive paragraph that names the subject and includes details about how it looks, sounds, feels, smells, or tastes independently, earning a score of at least 7 out of 9 on a 9-point descriptive writing rubric, on 3 of 4 consecutive scored writing samples, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks.
| Date | Task / sample | Opens by naming and introducing the subject | Includes details from at least three different senses | Uses specific adjectives and strong verbs instead of general words | Total (of 9) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Score each sample with a 9-point descriptive writing rubric. Attach or reference the rubric's score descriptors.
- Use the same prompt type and conditions for each scored sample.
- If two people score, check agreement on a few samples before relying on the data.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets, with formulas. Sheets print blank; no student data is stored.