Sport & Game Skills IEP goals for middle school (grades 6 to 8)
14 of the sport & game skills templates in the library are written for middle school (grades 6 to 8). Each opens in the builder, where the grade band is a starting point and the baseline comes from your own assessment.
14 templates · 1 skill · 6–8 · How we write and review goals
Goals by skill
Numbers are illustrative; set targets from the student's own baseline.
Sport & Game Skills Motor & Sensory Skills (OT, PT & Adapted PE)
Hit a forehand with a short racket
Striking with a bat, racket or paddle
By the annual IEP review date, given 6 foam balls fed underhand from across a short court during a racket unit, the student will hit a forehand with the racket using a side turn, a back swing, contact beside the front foot and a follow-through toward the target independently, earning a score of at least 4 out of 5 on a 5-point forehand form rubric scored 0 or 1 per component, in 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks during racket units.
Speed dribble the length of the court
Dribbling with hands and with feet
By the annual IEP review date, when dribbling a basketball the length of the gym from baseline to baseline, the student will dribble the ball while jogging, pushing it ahead with the fingertips at waist height and eyes up independently, earning a score of at least 6 out of 8 on a 4-component traveling dribble rubric scored 0 to 2 per component, in 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks during basketball units.
Shield and dribble away from a defender
Dribbling with hands and with feet
By the annual IEP review date, during a small-sided soccer game when a defender closes in, the student will turn their body between the defender and the ball and dribble away into open space independently in at least 4 of 6 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed game days, as measured by frequency recording collected weekly during soccer units.
Bump a volleyball with a forearm pass
Volleying
By the annual IEP review date, given 6 underhand tosses from a partner about 10 feet away during a volleyball unit, the student will bump the ball with a forearm pass, arms straight and together, knees bent, lifting from the legs toward the partner independently, earning a score of at least 6 out of 8 on a 4-component forearm pass rubric scored 0 to 2 per component, in 3 of 4 consecutive biweekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected every two weeks during volleyball units.
Use a four-stride bowling approach
Bowling approach and release
By the annual IEP review date, during a community bowling outing on a lane with bumpers, the student will bowl the ball using the four-stride approach and release on the checklist, performing at least 7 of 8 steps independently, on 3 of 4 consecutive bowling sessions, as measured by a task-analysis checklist collected on the first three frames of each bowling session.
Swim a width of elementary backstroke
Swimming strokes
By the annual IEP review date, in the shallow end of the pool, swimming a 15-yard width, the student will swim on their back using the up, out and together arm and leg pattern of the elementary backstroke, gliding between strokes independently, earning a score of at least 6 out of 8 on a 4-component elementary backstroke rubric scored 0 to 2 per component, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by a defined scoring rubric collected weekly during swim units.
Middle school sport & game skills goals account for multiple teachers, changing classes, and more independent work. They often pair the skill with a strategy or tool, and the data can be collected across settings by different staff or by the student.
Matching data sheets
Each goal above links to the blank sheet built for its measure. These are the sheets this set of goals uses:
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 5 goals here
- 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 3 goals here
Frequently asked questions
How are sport & game skills goals measured across several middle school classes?
By defining the task and the observation period so any teacher can use the same sheet, or by work samples collected from more than one class. Student self-monitoring with a weekly check is common.
Should middle school goals include study skills?
When assessment shows that organization, planning, or test preparation limits the student's progress, yes. Those goals are measured with task-analysis checklists and percent of assignments completed.
When does transition planning start?
The IEP in effect when the student turns 16 must include postsecondary goals and transition services, and many states start at 14. Middle school goals can build the self-advocacy and independence those plans rely on.
IEP Atlas Pro
Turn these goals into progress reports
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Count trials, prompts, and minutes live in the session; the graph and trend line draw themselves; progress reports are drafted from your data.