AS 91241 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, 398 KB]

TKI Geography assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to demonstrate comprehensive geographic understanding of an urban pattern.

This involves:

• fully explaining the spatial and/or temporal variation in the urban pattern
• fully explaining the factors and/or circumstances that contribute to this variation
• integrating case study evidence using geographic terminology and a relevant geographic concept related to the pattern, showing insight.

The student has directly identified a temporal variation in the pattern of London’s population growth, using statistical evidence (1). The explanation of the variation is developed throughout the response and a supplied graph is annotated to support the explanation.

Transport has been fully explained as a factor that has contributed to the variation by improving the accessibility of London. The student included evidence for road, rail and the port (2).

Comprehensive understanding is evident when the student makes clear links between the contributing factors of transport, manufacturing and immigration, resulting in accelerated rates of population growth (3). The effective inclusion of the multiplier model provides further evidence of comprehensive understanding (4).

When the student discusses spatial patterns relating to the temporal variation (5), they demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the urban pattern.

Geographic terminology is used throughout, and the concept of accessibility is effectively integrated in most sections, showing insight.

For a more secure Excellence, the student could more effectively integrate detailed supporting case study evidence when explaining contributing factors. For example, further statistical detail could be provided for immigration and place names, etc.

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate in-depth geographic understanding of an urban pattern.

This involves:

• describing in detail, the spatial and/or temporal variation in the urban pattern
• explaining, in detail, the factors and/or circumstances that contribute to this variation
• including detailed supporting case study evidence, and applying a geographic concept related to the pattern.

The student has described, in detail, a variation in the temporal pattern of London’s population growth, with supporting statistical evidence. They have introduced major contributing factors responsible for this variation (1).

The explanation of the contributing factors, e.g. housing shortage, are directly linked to the variation in the pattern, demonstrating understanding of the causal relationship (2) (4). Political decisions and policies are explained with some detail, using case study evidence (3).

The geographic concept of change is integrated throughout the response, providing some evidence at Excellence.

To reach Excellence, the student could show how the two factors discussed as contributing to the variation in the pattern are linked, which would demonstrate insight, for example by showing the link between the shortage of housing resulting from the war and the local authority policies relating to the housing issue.

While the use of geographic terminology reflects geographic understanding, more detailed case study evidence could be integrated into the response. Detail could be provided by naming specific policies such as the New Towns Act 1946, which provided for high rise council housing, e.g. Churchill Gardens in Westminster.

The pattern aspect needs to be extended to show a full explanation.

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate in-depth geographic understanding of an urban pattern.

This involves:

• describing in detail, the spatial and/or temporal variation in the urban pattern
• explaining in detail, the factors and/or circumstances that contribute to this variation
• including detailed supporting case study evidence and applying a geographic concept related to the pattern.

The student has demonstrated understanding of the spatial pattern relating to urban malls (for KGA, a fictional city), and a variation in this pattern is directly addressed (1). Annotated maps showing the location of malls and transport links, and other key features were included to illustrate the pattern (4) and a variation in it.

Economic factors contributing to the variation in the pattern include discussion of land costs (2), competition (3) and market accessibility. Depth of understanding is shown though reference to the bid rent model (2) and the economic factors selected.

The geographic concept of location has been applied in a manner that demonstrates understanding of the relevance of this concept to the context/urban pattern (1) (3).

For a more secure Merit, the student could include more detailed case study evidence such as place names, size of population, mall size, distances, etc.

The bid rent model could be more explicitly related to the selected urban pattern, and links between the map and model would further demonstrate in-depth understanding. This could be achieved by presenting the model and map together, and linking the annotations.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate geographic understanding of an urban pattern.

This involves:

• describing the urban pattern
• explaining the factors and/or circumstances that contribute to this pattern
• including supporting case study evidence and a simple explanation of a geographic concept related to the pattern.

The student has clearly described linear pattern of shopping malls in the fictional city of KGA. The supporting case study evidence is in detail (1).

A range of factors have been explained as contributing to the linear pattern, e.g. relief, transport and government policy. The factors have been explicitly linked to the pattern (2) (3) (4), demonstrating understanding of the interactions contributing to the selected spatial pattern. This aspect of the explanation reflects the quality of evidence expected at Level 7 of the New Zealand Curriculum.

Direct reference is made to relevant geographic concepts, with ‘accessibility’ clearly explained and related to the explanation (6).

To reach Merit, the student could further develop the idea of a variation in the pattern, which is suggested when reference is made to the mega malls being more widely spaced (5). A variation in the pattern could also be shown by identifying differences in mall development on the two lines.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate geographic understanding of an urban pattern.

This involves:

• describing the urban pattern
• explaining the factors and/or circumstances that contribute to this pattern
• including supporting case study evidence and a simple explanation of a geographic concept related to the pattern.

The student has identified a pattern of steady growth for London’s population (1),  using supporting statistical evidence and including a graph.

A range of factors contributing to London’s population growth are explained using a chronological approach. These factors include the industrial revolution (2), immigration (3) and the growth of the service industries and tourism (4).

The student demonstrates understanding of relationships between these factors and how they resulted in London’s population growth (2) (3).

The explanation of the geographic concept of change clearly shows its relevance to the selected urban pattern (5).

For a more secure Achieved, the student could apply the evidence to more directly explain how the factors contributed to the temporal pattern of steady growth. For example, describing the part immigration played in helping to maintain the pattern of steady growth, would show the relevance of this process to the pattern (3). The response is largely an overview of London’s population growth.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate geographic understanding of an urban pattern.

This involves:

• describing the urban pattern
• explaining the factors and/or circumstances that contribute to this pattern
• including supporting case study evidence and a simple explanation of a geographic concept related to the pattern.

The student has shown understanding of a spatial urban pattern in the fictional KGA city, with some supporting case study evidence (1). The student refers to several appropriate factors that contribute to the pattern, e.g. settlement, relief and transport.

A brief explanation of the linear pattern relating to mall development is given (2) (3).

To reach Achieved, the student could use more of the case study evidence, specifically information that relates to the pattern or factors that contribute to the pattern, such as place names, distances, etc.

Some of the evidence provided (4) does not support a description of the linear nature in the urban pattern - much of the case study evidence provided, describes characteristics of individual malls.