AS 91597 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, 227 KB]

TKI Social Studies assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to conduct a critical social inquiry comprehensively.

This involves using Social Studies concepts and giving specific evidence to:

• decide on the focus for the inquiry and developing research questions
• gather information and background ideas
• explain, and compare and contrast points of view, values and perspectives that relate to the focus of the inquiry
• report the findings and their relationship to the focus of the social inquiry
• reflect on and critically evaluating the findings and considering the implications of the findings in contexts outside the inquiry
• critically evaluate the processes of social inquiry including making suggestions for improvement.

The focus of this inquiry is inorganic waste collection. The student has developed research questions and gathered background ideas and information and used Social Studies concepts and specific evidence to report the findings by answering the focusing questions (not shown here).

The student has explained, compared and contrasted points of view, values and perspectives that relate to the focus of the inquiry (not shown here).

The student has reflected on and critically evaluated both the processes and the findings of the inquiry (not shown here).

In this extract, the student provides a sufficient comprehensive critical evaluation of the findings (1) and considers the implications of the findings in contexts outside the inquiry (2).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could consider the implications of the findings in contexts outside the inquiry in more detail.

For Merit, the student needs to conduct a critical social inquiry, in depth.

This involves using Social Studies concepts and giving specific evidence to:

• decide on the focus for the inquiry and developing research questions
• gather information and background ideas
• explain, and compare and contrast points of view, values and perspectives that relate to the focus of the inquiry
• report the findings and their relationship to the focus of the social inquiry
• reflect on and evaluate the findings
• critically evaluate the processes of social inquiry including making suggestions for improvement.

The focus of this inquiry is inorganic waste collection. The student has developed research questions and gathered background ideas and information, and used Social Studies concepts and specific evidence to report the findings by answering the focusing questions (not shown here).

The student has reflected on and evaluated the findings of the inquiry and critically evaluated the process including making suggestions for improvement (not shown here).

In this extract the student has explained, (1) compared and contrasted (4) points of view, values (2) and perspectives (3) of Tyla, Martin and an anonymous resident.

To reach Excellence, the student could critically evaluate the findings and consider the implications of the findings in contexts outside the inquiry.

For Merit, the student needs to conduct a critical social inquiry in depth.

This involves using Social Studies concepts and giving specific evidence to:

• decide on the focus for the inquiry and developing research questions
• gather information and background ideas
• explain, and compare and contrast points of view, values and perspectives that relate to the focus of the inquiry
• report the findings and their relationship to the focus of the social inquiry
• reflect on and evaluate the findings
• critically evaluate the processes of social inquiry including making suggestions for improvement.

The focus of this inquiry is a school ball falling during Ramadan. The student has developed research questions and gathered background ideas and information, and used Social Studies concepts and specific evidence to report the findings by answering the focusing questions (not shown here).

The student has reflected on and evaluated the findings of the inquiry, and critically evaluated the process including making suggestions for improvement (not shown here).

In this extract the student has explained (1) and provided some detail when comparing and contrasting (4) points of view, values (2) and perspectives (3) of Amun and the Deputy Principal.

For a more secure Merit, the student could provide more detailed information to compare and contrast the points of view, values and perspectives that relate to the focus of the inquiry.

For Achieved, the student needs to conduct a critical social inquiry.

This involves using Social Studies concepts and giving specific evidence to:

• decide on the focus for the inquiry and developing research questions
• gather information and background ideas
• describing people’s points of view, values and perspectives that underpin their participation and/or action in society and how these relate to the focus of the inquiry
• report the findings and their relationship to the focus of the social inquiry
• reflect on and evaluate the findings
• critically evaluate the processes of social inquiry including making suggestions for improvement.

In this extract the student has decided on the focus of the inquiry (1) which is Te Kotahitanga. The student has developed research questions (2), gathered background ideas and information (not exemplified here) and used Social Studies concepts (3) and specific evidence (4) to report the findings.

The student has described Dia and Russell’s points of view (6), values (7) and perspectives (8) that underpin their participation and/or action in society and how these relate to the focus of the inquiry.

The student has reflected on and evaluated the findings of the inquiry (9) and critically evaluated the process (10) including making suggestions for improvement (11).

To reach Merit, the student could provide an in depth critical social inquiry by explaining, and comparing and contrasting points of view, values and perspectives that relate to the focus of the inquiry.

For Achieved, the student needs to conduct a critical social inquiry.

This involves using Social Studies concepts and giving specific evidence to:

• decide on the focus for the inquiry and developing research questions
• gather information and background ideas
• describing people’s points of view, values and perspectives that underpin their participation and/or action in society and how these relate to the focus of the inquiry
• report the findings and their relationship to the focus of the social inquiry
• reflect on and evaluate the findings
• critically evaluate the processes of social inquiry including making suggestions for improvement.

In this extract the student has decided on the focus of the inquiry (1) which is Euthanasia. The student has developed research questions (2) and gathered background ideas and information (not shown here), and used Social Studies concepts (3) and specific evidence (4) to report the findings.

The student has described Casey and Jack’s points of view (6), provided some evidence of their values (7) and perspectives (8) that underpin their participation and/or action in society and how these relate to the focus of the inquiry.

The student has reflected on and evaluated the findings of the inquiry (9) and just sufficiently critically evaluated the process (10) including making suggestions for improvement (11).

For a more secure Achieved, the student could:

• provide further evidence of the values and perspectives that underpin their participation and/or action in society and how these relate to the focus of the inquiry
• provide further evidence of an evaluation of the processes including making suggestions for improvement.

For Achieved, the student needs to conduct a critical social inquiry.

This involves using Social Studies concepts and giving specific evidence to:

• decide on the focus for the inquiry and developing research questions
• gather information and background ideas
• describing people’s points of view, values and perspectives that underpin their participation and/or action in society and how these relate to the focus of the inquiry
• report the findings and their relationship to the focus of the social inquiry
• reflect on and evaluate the findings
• critically evaluate the processes of social inquiry including making suggestions for improvement.

In this extract the student has decided on the focus of the inquiry (1) which is Te Kotahitanga. The student has developed research questions (2) and gathered background ideas and information (not shown here), and used Social Studies concepts (3) and specific evidence (4) to report the findings.

The student has described Dia and Russell’s points of view (6) that underpin their participation and/or action in society and how these relate to the focus of the inquiry.

The student has reflected on and evaluated the findings of the inquiry (7) and just sufficiently critically evaluated the process (8).

To reach Achieved, the student could:

• make suggestions for improvements of the processes of social inquiry.
• provide a description of the values and perspectives that underpin their participation and/or action in society and how these relate to the focus of the inquiry.