Skip to content
IEP Atlas
Start free trial
Menu

Social Studies Skills IEP goals

Social studies skills goals help students work with maps, timelines, primary sources, civics, economics, and current events in ways that carry across units. Good goals name the material (a map with a key, a short primary source, a news article at the student's level), the support, and how the student answers. Measure map, timeline, and source questions with accuracy, and written summaries or comparisons with a rubric.

40 templates · How we write and review goals

Sample social studies skills goals

Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline (how templates are made).

  • K-2Percent accuracy

    Sort pictures into needs and wants

    Needs and wants

    By the annual IEP review date, given 10 photo cards of everyday items (such as food, a coat, a game, a bed) and a two-column needs and wants mat, the student will sort each card into needs or wants independently with at least 90% accuracy on needs and wants cards, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.

    Customize
  • K-2, 3-5Percent accuracy

    Match community helpers to their jobs

    Community roles

    By the annual IEP review date, given 8 photos of community workers (such as a firefighter, mail carrier, nurse, bus driver) and 8 photos of the work they do, the student will match each worker to the photo of the work they do independently with at least 88% accuracy on community worker matches, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.

    Customize
  • K-2, 3-5Opportunities

    Find a room using a school map

    Maps and globes

    By the annual IEP review date, when given a simple school map with picture symbols and asked to lead the adult to a named room, the student will find the named room on the map, point to the route, and walk to the room while holding the map independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks of data, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.

    Customize
  • K-2, 3-5Percent accuracy

    Move on a grid map with cardinal directions

    Maps and globes

    By the annual IEP review date, given a grid map with a compass rose, a starting square and 8 direction cards (such as go 2 squares north), the student will move a marker or walk from the starting square following each direction card and name the place reached independently with at least 88% accuracy on direction cards, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.

    Customize
  • K-2Percent accuracy

    Order events from own life on a timeline

    Timelines

    By the annual IEP review date, given 4 photos of events from the student's own life (such as being a baby, starting school, a birthday) and a timeline strip, the student will put the photos in order on the timeline from first to most recent independently with at least 75% accuracy on timeline sequences, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.

    Customize
  • K-2, 3-5Opportunities

    Tell the reason for a class rule

    Civics: rules and rights

    By the annual IEP review date, during a class meeting or social studies lesson when the adult names a class or school rule and asks why we have it, the student will tell one reason for the rule that names how it keeps people safe, fair or able to learn independently in at least 4 of 5 opportunities, across 3 consecutive weeks of data, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.

    Customize
  • 3-5, 6-8Percent accuracy

    Answer questions with a map key

    Maps and globes

    By the annual IEP review date, given a community or state map with a key of 6 to 8 symbols and 10 questions, the student will answer each question by finding the symbol in the key and locating it on the map independently with at least 80% accuracy on map key questions, in 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by curriculum-based measurement probes collected every two weeks.

    Customize
  • 3-5, 6-8Percent accuracy

    Measure map distance with a scale bar

    Maps and globes

    By the annual IEP review date, given a map with a scale bar, a ruler or paper strip and 8 distance questions between labeled places, the student will measure the distance between the places on the map and use the scale bar to write the real distance with its unit independently with at least 75% accuracy on map distance questions, on 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.

    Customize
  • 3-5, 6-8Percent accuracy

    Place dated events on a timeline

    Timelines

    By the annual IEP review date, given a timeline marked by decades and 8 event cards with years from the current unit, the student will place each event card at the correct spot on the timeline and name which event came first and last independently with at least 88% accuracy on timeline placements, in 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected every two weeks.

    Customize
  • 3-5, 6-8Percent accuracy

    Answer five W questions about a historical photo

    Primary source questions

    By the annual IEP review date, given a historical photograph with a caption and 5 questions (who, what, when, where, why), the student will answer each question with a detail seen in the photo or read in the caption independently with at least 80% accuracy on photo source questions, in 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected every two weeks.

    Customize
  • 3-5, K-2Percent accuracy

    Locate continents and oceans on a globe

    Maps and globes

    By the annual IEP review date, given a globe or unlabeled world map and the names of the 7 continents and 5 oceans spoken one at a time, the student will point to or label each continent and ocean independently with at least 83% accuracy on continent and ocean locations, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.

    Customize
  • 3-5, K-2Percent accuracy

    Sort examples of goods and services

    Goods and services

    By the annual IEP review date, given 10 picture cards of goods and services from the community (such as a haircut, bread, a bike repair, shoes) and a two-column mat, the student will sort each card as a good or a service independently with at least 90% accuracy on economics sorting cards, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.

    Customize

28 more social studies skills templates

Each opens in the builder with its sample goal, notes, objectives, and data sheet.

What social studies skills involves

  • Reading maps and globes, including a key, compass rose, and scale
  • Placing events on a timeline and telling what came before and after
  • Answering questions about a primary source such as a photo, letter, or poster
  • Civics: rules, rights, and the steps of voting
  • Community roles, needs and wants, and goods and services
  • Comparing cultures and summarizing a current event

Baseline and measurement considerations

  • Take a baseline with a short probe of the same task type, such as 10 map questions using a key.
  • Keep the task type fixed across probes so content changes from unit to unit do not hide progress.
  • Use a rubric for written or spoken summaries: main event, who, where, why it matters.
  • Use accuracy for map, timeline, and source questions with a set number of items.
  • The social studies teacher and special education teacher share probes; class work counts if the support and format match.

Progress-monitoring methods used in these templates

  • Work-sample analysis: Scoring completed student work (permanent products) against a defined answer key or checklist.
  • Opportunity (trial) recording: Each planned or naturally occurring opportunity is recorded as correct/independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.
  • Curriculum-based measurement: Brief, standardized probes given at regular intervals and scored the same way each time.
  • Rubric scoring: Work or performance is scored against written criteria with defined score levels.
  • Task-analysis checklist: A routine is broken into ordered steps; each step is recorded as independent, supported, or not completed.
  • Direct observation: An adult observes and records the defined behavior during a specified activity.

How each measure works

Matching data sheets

Each template links to a blank sheet built for its measure. You can also download these sheets on their own:

  • Accuracy tracker: Number correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.
  • Opportunity tracker: Records each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.
  • Rubric tracker: Scores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.
  • Task-analysis checklist: Marks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.

Common mistakes when writing social studies skills goals

  • Writing a content goal ("will learn about the Civil War") instead of a skill that carries across units.
  • Using unit test scores, which mix many skills and change every few weeks.
  • Letting reading level block the skill; use texts at the student's level or read-aloud and name it in the condition.
  • Using a rubric with no rows defined, so different adults score the same work differently.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write an IEP goal for social studies?

Choose a skill the student uses every unit, such as reading a map key or answering questions about a primary source. For example: given a map with a key and 10 questions, the student will answer with at least 80% accuracy on 3 of 4 probes. Name any read-aloud or word bank support.

What is a good social studies goal for high school?

Summarizing a current event with who, what, where, and why it matters, scored on a rubric, fits high school and links to civics and adult life. Explaining the steps to register and vote is another strong goal for older students.

How often should I collect data on social studies goals?

Every two weeks for accuracy probes and every two to four weeks for rubric goals. Probes take only a few minutes if the format stays the same.

Do students in general education social studies need a goal?

Only when they need specially designed instruction to do a social studies skill. Many students need only accommodations such as read-aloud or a graphic organizer, which go in the accommodations section.

References

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.

Start 14-day free trialOpen workspaceSee the demo