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, 447 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 the spatial and/or temporal variation
• integrating geographic terminology and supporting evidence from a case study.

While the exemplar is based on 91241 version 3, it provides evidence relating to the inclusion of geographic terminology and some detailed case study evidence. These exemplars will be updated when evidence for version 4 of the standard becomes available.

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 geographic 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 the response.

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 the spatial and/or temporal variation
• including geographic terminology and detailed supporting evidence from a case study.While the exemplar is based on 91241 version 3, it provides evidence relating to the inclusion of geographic terminology and some detailed case study evidence. These exemplars will be updated when evidence for version 4 of the standard becomes available.

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).

To reach Excellence, the student could show how the two factors discussed as contributing to the variation in the pattern are linked. 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 the spatial and/or temporal variation
• including geographic terminology and detailed supporting evidence from a case study.

While the exemplar is based on 91241 version 3, it provides evidence relating to the inclusion of geographic terminology and some detailed case study evidence. These exemplars will be updated when evidence for version 4 of the standard becomes available.

The student has demonstrated understanding of the spatial pattern relating to urban malls, and a variation in this pattern is directly addressed (1). Annotated maps showing the location of malls, 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.

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 the urban pattern
• including geographic terminology and supporting evidence from a case study.

While the exemplar is based on 91241 version 3, it provides evidence relating to the inclusion of geographic terminology and some detailed case study evidence. These exemplars will be updated when evidence for version 4 of the standard becomes available.

The student has clearly described a linear pattern of shopping malls. 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.

To reach Merit, the student needs to 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 the urban pattern
• including geographic terminology and supporting evidence from a case study.

While the exemplar is based on 91241 version 3, it provides evidence relating to the inclusion of geographic terminology and some detailed case study evidence. These exemplars will be updated when evidence for version 4 of the standard becomes available.

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 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).

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.