This is a fully formatted Excel (.xlsx) behavioral observation template built around Momentary Time Sampling (MTS) , one of the most widely used interval recording methods in special education and ABA practice.

It is designed for structured classroom observations of a focus student alongside a typical peer, giving you a meaningful baseline for comparison across multiple sessions.

All calculations are automatic. Once you enter your 1s at each interval, the sheet computes totals, percentages, session-by-session summaries, and the focus child vs. peer difference. No extra work required.

What’s Included (6 Tabs)

• Tab 1 — Cover Sheet: Enter student name, date of birth, grade, classroom/teacher, observer name, and referral concern before your first session. Everything you need to document context in one place.

• Tab 2 — Behavior Key: Operational definitions for all six coded behaviors, with clear examples and non-examples to anchor your observations and support inter-rater reliability.

• Tabs 3, 4 & 5 — Observation Sessions 1, 2 & 3: One tab per session. Record up to 40 one-minute intervals for both the Focus Child and the Typical Peer side by side. Each tab auto-calculates totals and percent of intervals at the bottom.

• Tab 6 — Summary (Auto-Populates): Pulls percentages from all three sessions automatically. Displays session-by-session rates, the mean across sessions, and the FC−Peer difference for every behavior. Includes a built-in interpretation guide.

Behaviors Tracked

Six behaviors are pre-coded and defined, each with a two- or three-letter code for fast recording:

• OT — On-Task / Engaged

• EL — Elopement

• DB — Disruptive Behavior

• AG — Physical Aggression

• SIB — Self-Injurious Behavior

• VC — Vocal / Verbal Disruption

Additional behaviors can be added by the user. Codes are kept short (2–3 letters) for efficient data entry.

How to Use It

At each 1-minute interval, glance at the student for one second and enter a 1 in the column if the behavior is occurring at that exact moment. Leave the cell blank if it is not. Code the Focus Child first, then the Typical Peer. That’s it — the sheet handles everything else.

A plain-language coding reminder is printed at the bottom of each session tab so observers never have to guess.

Template Features

• Auto-calculating totals and percent-of-intervals for every behavior column

• Summary tab auto-pulls from all three session tabs — no copy-pasting

• FC vs. Peer difference calculated automatically for clinical comparison

• Color-coded layout: purple for Focus Child columns, green for Typical Peer

• Alternating row shading in two tones for easy row tracking during live observation

• Behavior Key tab with operational definitions, examples, and non-examples

• Built-in interpretation guide on the Summary tab

• Notes column on every session tab for ABC/context documentation

• 40 one-minute intervals per session (supports up to 40-minute observation windows)

• Editable and reusable — works for any student, any classroom

Who This Is For

• Special education teachers conducting pre-referral or evaluation observations

• School psychologists and behavior specialists completing FBA data collection

• BCBAs and RBTs needing a structured MTS recording form

• Instructional coaches and support staff documenting classroom behavior

• Anyone who needs clean, defensible data for an IEP, BIP, or evaluation report

What You Need

Microsoft Excel (2016 or later recommended). The file will also open in Google Sheets, though formatting renders best in Excel.