Orientation & Mobility IEP goals for grades 3 to 5
15 of the orientation & mobility templates in the library are written for grades 3 to 5. Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
15 templates · 1 skill · 3–5 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Orientation & Mobility Vision, Hearing & Assistive Technology
Use upper and lower body protection
Protective techniques
By the annual IEP review date, when traveling through an unfamiliar room, an open area, or a space with furniture moved, the student will raise the forearm across the body at shoulder height or lower the hand in front of the hips to protect the body while moving independently in 5 of 5 opportunities, on 4 consecutive observed days, as measured by direct observation collected during each O&M lesson.
Travel from the classroom to the cafeteria
School route travel
By the annual IEP review date, when the class goes to lunch, starting from the classroom door, the student will travel the route using the taught technique and landmarks and arrive at the destination, performing all 7 steps independently, on 5 consecutive school days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected daily during the route.
Square off and cross an open space
Squaring off and line of travel
By the annual IEP review date, when crossing the gym or a lobby to reach the wall or door on the far side, the student will align their back or side with a wall, walk a straight line across the space, and reach the target wall or door independently in 4 of 4 opportunities, across 3 consecutive O&M lessons, as measured by direct observation collected during each O&M lesson.
Hold the cane in the diagonal technique
Long cane: grip and diagonal technique
By the annual IEP review date, when traveling a familiar hallway route at school, the student will hold the cane in the diagonal position across the body with the tip just above the floor and walk the route, performing all 6 steps independently, on 4 consecutive O&M lessons, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected during each O&M lesson.
Name and use landmarks on a school route
Landmarks and clues
By the annual IEP review date, when traveling a taught school route with the O&M specialist, the student will name each landmark on the route as they reach it and tell what they do there (such as turn left) independently in 6 of 6 opportunities, across 3 consecutive O&M lessons, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected during each O&M lesson.
Pass through doorways with a guide
Sighted guide: narrow spaces and doors
By the annual IEP review date, when walking with a guide through a doorway, a crowded aisle, or between desks, the student will move behind the guide in single file when the guide signals a narrow space and open or close the door on their side, performing all 5 steps independently, on 4 of 5 observed days, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected during each O&M lesson.
Grades 3 to 5 orientation & mobility goals build on foundational skills and begin to use longer tasks, multi-step work, and independence as the target. Measurement shifts toward curriculum-based probes, work samples, and rubrics the student can see.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 6 goals here
- Task-analysis checklistMarks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.Used by 8 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 1 goal here
Frequently asked questions
What changes in orientation & mobility goals between the early and upper elementary grades?
Tasks get longer and more independent, and the support level in the goal moves from prompts toward checklists and self-monitoring. The measure often changes too, from direct observation to work samples and probes.
Can an upper elementary goal include self-monitoring?
Yes. Students at this age can check their own work or rate their own behavior, and the goal can measure both the skill and the accuracy of the self-rating.
How do I set a criterion for a grade 3 to 5 student working below grade level?
Use the student's baseline on the measure and expected growth for that measure, not the grade-level benchmark. The goal should be ambitious for the student, as Endrew F. requires, and reachable within the year.
IEP Atlas Pro
Turn these goals into progress reports
Pro tracks every goal on your caseload and drafts the report for you. Free for 14 days.
Count trials, prompts, and minutes live in the session; the graph and trend line draw themselves; progress reports are drafted from your data.