AS 91933 Annotated exemplars

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

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 15 MB]

Level 1 Geography assessment resources (external link) - NCEA.education

For Achieved, the student needs to explore an environment using data.

The student has processed data and generated visuals. The presented data includes bar graphs, annotated photographs, and annotated maps. The lake environment has been defined with the use of annotated maps.

The presented data has been used to describe findings about the environment. As noted in Explanatory Note 4, findings are the student’s understanding about an environment that is found and drawn from the processed data. For example, findings from the water clarity bar graph show that the water clarity is not good and could be dangerous for humans and wildlife. The student has had sufficient data to present and enable them to describe findings from this evidence to explore an environment.

How the data from one day limits understanding of the lake environment has been described.

For Merit, the student would use the presented data to explain findings about the environment. A Merit response would also explain how data can strengthen and limit understanding of the environment. 

For Merit, the student needs to interpret an environment using data.  

The student has processed raw data and presented visuals in the form of graphs and annotated photographs. The school environment has been defined with the use of an annotated map.  

The presented data has been used to explain findings about the environment. For example, the presented temperature bar graph is explained using the annotated photographs. The highest temperature in the graph, at site 3, is explained using the photographs and annotations to show that this site is protected from the wind. The range of climate data used has enabled microclimates within the environment to be identified and explained.

The evaluative aspect explains how the data can strengthen and limit understanding of the school campus environment. The understanding of the environment has been limited, as the data hasn’t enabled “seasonal or long-term weather patterns” to be considered. More explicit linking of specific data and understanding of the environment would further strengthen the evidence to reflect Merit.

At 1639 words, this response exceeds the expected length for this standard. The response could be reduced through a more critical selection of evidence.

For Excellence, the student would use the findings to draw a valid conclusion about the school’s microclimate environment. While some of these aspects have been identified in the student response, further use of findings and a cohesive conclusion is required. For Excellence, there would be discussion of how additional data could be used to improve understanding of the school environment. Long term monitoring of weather was identified, however an Excellence response would further discuss how this additional data would improve understanding of the school environment.

For Excellence, the student needs to analyse an environment using data.

Data has been processed by the student and the visuals presented. This presented data includes graphs, annotated photographs, and annotated maps. The Wairau Creek environment has been defined with the use of annotated maps.

The presented data has been used to explain findings about the environment. For example, high phosphate levels shown in the bar graph are explained using the photograph and map presentations.

The student has explained how data such as interviewing locals strengthened understanding of the environment by giving long term information on the conditions of the marina and beach. There is also an explanation of how nitrate readings limit understanding of the environment, as it doesn’t give information about the type or areas of pollution. How additional data, such as collecting data over a longer time period and better testing kits, could be used to improve understanding of the environment is discussed.

Findings have been used to draw a valid conclusion about the environment. Overall, the Wairau Creek has been concluded as polluted.