Find the milestone development steps for different age groups. Many online sites have this information posted for the convenience of educators. Sites such as Baby Center and the Centers for Disease Control have milestone charts that indicate where kids need to be by the time they reach a certain age.
Gather and print all the information you can find. You will go through it all later to divide it into sections to create the checklist.
Group the milestones or standards into different sections. There should be a section for social development, speech and language development, physical development, reading skills, math skills and possibly science skills, depending on the age of the child. Create the checklist as a computer text document, or on a piece of paper. It's a precious document, so keep it somewhere safe.
List the standard or milestone under the correct section. To the right of the statement, create three columns: Yes, No, Maybe. Create a small comment box to the right of the columns so the teacher can insert an explanation if the "Maybe" box is checked. Put the name of the child near the top of the page.
Continue creating different sections, then listing the milestones or standards for each section. Double-check your assessment tool when you are finished. Have a fellow teacher look it over for critique.