AS 91607 annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 436 KB]

TKI Biology assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves linking biological ideas about human manipulations of genetic transfer (EN 3) and its biological implications (EN 4). Linking ideas may involve justifying, relating, evaluating, comparing and contrasting, and analysing.

This student has demonstrated comprehensive understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Biological ideas are used to describe and explain selective breeding (1) and genetic corn plant cloning (3).

Some biological ideas are used to explain the biological implications of selective breeding (2) and cloning of corn plants (4) relating to genetic biodiversity and ecosystems.

Some biological ideas and their biological implications are linked by comparing and contrasting both manipulations of genetic transfer (5).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could:

• explain the biological implications of each manipulation more thoroughly. For example inbreeding depression and monoculture in selective breeding
• include more detail linking biological ideas about both human manipulations of genetic transfer and their biological implications. For example by justifying the use of whole corn plant cloning over the selective breeding of corn.

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate in-depth understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves using biological ideas to explain:

• how humans manipulate genetic transfer (EN 3), and
• the biological implications (EN 4) of these manipulations.

This student has demonstrated in-depth understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Biological ideas are used to describe and explain selective breeding (1) and cloning of corn plants (3).

Some biological ideas are used to explain the biological implications of selective breeding (2) and corn plant cloning (4), relating to genetic biodiversity and impact on ecosystems.

An attempt has been made to link biological ideas about selective breeding and cloning of corn plants, and their biological implications (5).

To reach Excellence, the student would need to give further evidence linking biological ideas about both human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

For example by comparing and contrasting them, or justifying using whole corn plant cloning over the selective breeding of corn.

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate in-depth understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves using biological ideas to explain:

• how humans manipulate genetic transfer (EN 3), and
• the biological implications (EN 4) of these manipulations.

This student has demonstrated some in-depth understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Biological ideas are used to describe and partly explain selective breeding (1) and cloning of corn plants (3).

Biological ideas are used to describe and explain the biological implications of selective breeding (2) and corn plant cloning (4), by relating this to genetic biodiversity and the impact on ecosystems.

An attempt has been made to link biological ideas about selective breeding and cloning of corn plants, and their biological implications (5).

For a more secure Merit, the student could use biological ideas to give a more in-depth explanation of:

• how humans manipulate genetic transfer in selective breeding and corn plant cloning
• the biological implications of both manipulations of genetic transfer.

For example, by explaining how Bt corn disrupts an ecosystem by killing non-target insects that feed on nearby plants that have Bt corn pollen on them.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves using biological ideas to describe human manipulations of genetic transfer (EN 3) and its biological implications (EN 4).

This student has demonstrated understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Biological ideas are used to describe selective breeding (1) and describe and partly explain cloning of corn plants (3).

Biological ideas are used to describe some biological implications of selective breeding (2), and describe and explain the implications of corn plant cloning (4), by relating this to genetic biodiversity and the health and survival of individuals.

To reach Merit, the student would need to give further evidence using biological ideas to:

• explain how humans manipulate genetic transfer in the selective breeding of corn plants
• more thoroughly explain the cloning of whole corn plants as Bt corn
• explain the biological implications of selective breeding of corn plants.

For example, by explaining the effect of Bt corn reducing the population of insects in an ecosystem, and the flow-on effect on reducing the population of birds that feed on those insects.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves using biological ideas to describe human manipulations of genetic transfer (EN 3) and its biological implications (EN 4).

This student has demonstrated understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Biological ideas are used to briefly describe selective breeding (1) and cloning of corn plants (3).

Some biological implications of selective breeding (2) and corn plant cloning (4) are described by relating them to genetic biodiversity and the health and survival of populations and individuals.

For a more secure Achieved, the student could use biological ideas more thoroughly to include specific details describing:

• selective breeding and cloning of corn plants, and
• the biological implications of these manipulations.

For example, by giving a more detailed description of the processes involved in both human manipulations of genetic transfers, and the outcome of these on the evolution of the corn species population.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of human manipulations of genetic transfer and its biological implications.

This involves using biological ideas to describe human manipulations of genetic transfer (EN 3) and its biological implications (EN 4).

This student has demonstrated limited understanding by using corn plants as a case study. Some biological ideas are used to describe selective breeding (1) and cloning of corn plants (3). Biological implications of selective breeding (2) and corn plant cloning (4) are briefly considered by relating them to genetic biodiversity and the health and survival of populations and individuals.

To reach Achieved, the student could use biological ideas to give a more detailed description of:

• selective breeding and cloning of corn plants, and
• the biological implications of these manipulations.

For example, by giving further evidence describing the processes involved in both human manipulations of genetic transfers, and the outcome of these on the evolution of the corn species population at curriculum level 8.