Social Awareness & Perspective Taking IEP goals for grades 3 to 5
22 of the social awareness & perspective taking 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.
22 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.
Social Awareness & Perspective Taking Social-Emotional & Communication
Name a character's emotion and the clue
Character emotions and clues
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 picture-book pages or short story events at the student's listening level, with an emotion word bank, the student will name the character's emotion and one clue from the words, picture, or situation that shows it independently with at least 80% accuracy on story events (emotion and clue both given), in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by work-sample analysis collected weekly.
Tell an accident from on purpose
Accident or on purpose
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 short illustrated or video scenarios of peer mishaps, half accidental and half deliberate, the student will say whether the peer did it by accident or on purpose and name one clue (such as what they said, what they did next, or what happened before) independently with at least 80% accuracy on peer mishap scenarios, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Check on a classmate who seems upset
Checking on an upset peer
By the annual IEP review date, during class, recess, or lunch, when a nearby classmate cries, says they are upset, or sits apart after something went wrong, the student will check on the classmate by asking if they are okay, offering help, saying something kind, or telling an adult independently in at least 3 of 4 opportunities, on 3 of 4 observed weeks, as measured by direct observation collected weekly.
Predict how a peer will react
Predicting reactions
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 short scenario cards about everyday actions (such as cutting in line, sharing a snack, knocking over a tower), read aloud, the student will predict the other person's likely reaction and emotion and say one reason independently with at least 80% accuracy on action scenarios, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Explain what someone who missed it thinks
What others know (false belief)
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 short acted-out or illustrated stories in which one character misses an event (such as an object being moved), the student will say what the character who missed the event will think or do and why independently with at least 70% accuracy on missed-event stories, in 3 of 4 consecutive weekly probes, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Name emotions from tone of voice
Emotions from tone of voice
By the annual IEP review date, given 10 recorded sentences with neutral words (such as "We're going now") said in happy, sad, angry, or worried voices, the student will name or choose the emotion the speaker's voice shows independently with at least 80% accuracy on recorded voice samples, across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by opportunity-by-opportunity data collected weekly.
Grades 3 to 5 social awareness & perspective taking 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:
- Accuracy trackerNumber correct out of number attempted, with percent accuracy and support level.Used by 14 goals here
- Opportunity trackerRecords each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.Used by 5 goals here
- Rubric trackerScores each rubric criterion and totals the score for each sample.Used by 3 goals here
Frequently asked questions
What changes in social awareness & perspective taking 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.
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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.