The annotated work samples support teachers:
 when reporting against the achievement standard
 when explaining differences between one student’s achievements and another’s
 in implementing internal moderation practices.
JUDGING STANDARDS
The annotations include black text which reflect an assessment pointer relevant to the
task and/or coloured text which is the task-specific evidence.
YEAR 8 HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
WORK SAMPLE REFLECTING HIGH ACHIEVEMENT
SUMMARY OF TASK:
The Black Death
Students were learning about the causes, symptoms and the effects of the Black Death.
Students researched and completed a source analysis on the Black Death. They then completed an in-class extended
written task based on their research.
CONTENT RELEVANT TO THIS TASK
History
The causes and symptoms of the Black Death and the responses of different groups in society to the spread of the
disease, such as the flagellants and monasteries
The effects of the Black Death on Asian, European and African populations, and conflicting theories about the impact of
the plague
Interpret information and/or data to identify key relationships and/or trends displayed in various formats (e.g. change
over time in a series of images, identify spatial distributions from a map)
Develop texts, particularly descriptions and explanations, using appropriate subject-specific terminology and concepts
that use evidence to support findings, conclusions and/or arguments, from a range of sources
KEY WORDS:
Sources, Evidence, Continuity and change, Cause and effect, Perspective
Student achievement is reported at the end of the semester or year using the letter grades
and achievement descriptors. Letter grades and achievement descriptors should only be
used to describe student achievement for the purpose of reporting.
2015/105802 [PDF 2015/106316]
Humanities and Social Sciences: Year 8 High Achievement Work Sample
1
WORK SAMPLE
ANNOTATIONS
Describes, in detail, the causes
and effects of the spread of the
Black Death, e.g. provides some
effects of the Black Death such
as killing half the population,
and decreasing the labour
force.
Describes in detail, the causes
and effects of the spread of the
Black Death, e.g. writes a
paragraph about the effect of
the Black Death on education,
religion and businesses.
2015/105802
Humanities and Social Sciences: Year 8 High Achievement Work Sample
2