Exemplar for internal assessment resource Geography 1.3A for Achievement Standard 91009
Exemplar for Internal Assessment Resource
Geography Level 1
Resource title: The Waitakere Ranges –
sustainable use or not?
This exemplar supports assessment against:
Achievement Standard 91009
Demonstrate Geographic Understanding of the Sustainable use of an
Environment
Expected responses
The moderators have developed expected student response from a wide variety of sources.
Grade exemplar
The moderators have found generic work suitable to exemplify the grades but may not match
an A or B assessment resource.
Date version published by
Ministry of Education
© Crown 2010
December 2010
To support internal assessment from 2011
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Geography 1.3A for Achievement Standard 91009
Commentary:
Category 2 and 5 combined
© Crown 2010
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Geography 1.3A for Achievement Standard 91009
Title: The Waitakere Ranges – sustainable use or not?
Overview
The Waitakere Ranges have been used by people – Maori and European – over many
centuries. Sustainable use of the ranges is an ongoing issue and concern for people.
Based on your in-class learning, the field study and gathering of information from
brochures, books, and the internet, complete these three tasks over the next two
weeks.
The work may be completed during class-time (you will be given 4 hours/4 periods)
and at home. The work you hand in must be your own work.
Introduction
You are a geographer who has been hired by the Auckland Council to prepare
information for them about sustainable use of the Waitakere Ranges environment. You
may include reference to historical information but should focus mostly on modern
and present day information about the use of this environment.
You could present this information for the Auckland Council in a variety of ways:
•
Brochure
•
Poster
•
Video or PowerPoint presentation
•
Annotated diagrams/maps/pictures
•
Storyboard for a television commercial
•
Formal written report
© Crown 2010
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Geography 1.3A for Achievement Standard 91009
Task 1: Describe how and why people use* the Waitakere Ranges
The information you provide must include the following written in your own words:
•
Describe the features of the Waitakere Ranges that have attracted/attract people to the
area.
•
Describe a range of different ways people use/have used* the Ranges. Give reasons for
these different uses.
A list of features and types of use is not sufficient. You will need to write at least a sentence
to describe and explain each.
Task 2: Explain the consequences of people’s use of the Waitakere
Ranges on people and the environment
In your report you need to fully explain (give details and named examples):
•
The impacts of the uses on people (including people who use the ranges and on other
people eg local residents and other people)
•
The impacts of the uses on the environment (the environment includes the landscape
and the flora and fauna of the Waitakere Ranges)
Task 3: Explain the sustainability, or otherwise, of the continued use of
the Waitakere Ranges
•
Identify and explain fully ways in which the environmental impacts of use of the ranges is
being/can be minimised in order to make sure that continued use of the ranges can take
place without the environment being damaged. Support your answer with specific
information.
•
To what extent you think it is possible to use the ranges in a sustainable way? Give
reasons for your answer.
Marking and moderation comment:
* the standard requires that students are able to show understanding of ‘the sustainable use
of an environment’. In some environments focus on a single use would be appropriate (eg if
a dairy farm were chosen as the environment, then focus on a single use of dairy farming
would be appropriate). A similar comment would apply to mining being ‘the single use’ in a
mine area environment. In many environments however multiple uses are evident and focus
on the sustainability or otherwise of these uses would be appropriate. In the example that
follows the environment selected is the Waitakere Ranges. This environment has is/has been
used in multiple ways. The focus therefore becomes one that relates to these multiple uses,
and the extent to which they can take place and continue sustainably within the environment.
© Crown 2010
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Geography 1.3A for Achievement Standard 91009
Grade Boundary: Low Excellence
The answers are detailed and lucid. Good geographic understanding is shown and
resource material ‘evidence and detail’ from a variety of sources has been selectively
incorporated within the answers.
1.
Many examples of how people use the environment are given. Few reasons for these
uses are given – ‘the past’ examples are stronger in this regard. Present day reason
feature strongly within the Task 2 answer.
2.
Consequences for people and for the environment are described and explained with
detailed Waitakere evidence like place names included. Impacts on people although
addressed can be considered less than a full answer of Excellence standard. The
place/environment impacts coverage is a superior answer.
3.
Understanding of the sustainability concept is shown within the answer with reference
to things like ‘keep and even improve the quality of the environment’ and inclusion of
sustainable use measures.
4.
The Maori proverb provides a powerful conclusion.
© Crown 2010
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Geography 1.3A for Achievement Standard 91009
Grade Boundary: High Merit
The visuals and the text blend together well. The debate over Merit or Excellence lies
in the extent to which the Task 2 and Task 3 answers are providing a ‘full
explanation’. In this regard the Task 2 answer can be seen as superior with a clear
description and explanation of different uses and their impact on both people and the
environment given, supported by specific Waitakere examples. The Task 3 answer
falls below Excellence standard because the concept of sustainability is little more
than implied within the answer. The answer however involves a thoughtful discussion,
and shows good general geographic understanding. If sustainability had been
addressed in a specific way – for example with some definition included – the
balance would have tipped in favour of Excellence.
5.
The visual and text give a simple but clear answer that covers ‘how and why’ with two
examples of logging and tramping from the past and present.
6.
A strong feature of the Task 2 answer is the visuals and text blend together and detail
about some uses and their impacts are included within the answer.
7.
The Rainforest Express photo is used well to link past and present day uses with
consequences for both the environment/places and people included.
8.
The design is original, imaginative and relevant. The idea in this visual is amplified
very well in the discussion. The concept of sustainability seems to have been taken
as ‘a given’ and no comment or discussion of this concept is contained within the
answer. This is a weakness of this answer.
The ‘Arc in the Park’ comment has a similar weakness in needed clarification and
explanation to make it relevant.
© Crown 2010
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Geography 1.3A for Achievement Standard 91009
Grade Boundary: Low Merit
The student shows understanding in relation to all aspects of the standard. Answers
have many nice touches and read well. The answers are Low Merit overall because
of the lack of detail and elaboration given in the answer about the consequences of
the uses on people and on the environment.
9.
No description of the features of the Waitakere Ranges is given in the visuals or
written answer. This however is not needed in terms of meeting requirements of the
standard. The answer is detailed about different ways people use the environment –
both how and why the ranges are used are covered in a lucid manner. Achieved
standard only is required in this standard for describing how and why people use the
selected environment – this answer meets these requirements in an outstanding way.
10.
Describe and explain are both covered in relation to the outcomes of peoples’ use.
The scope and depth of the answer however (especially about impact on people) is
limited and makes the answer barely sufficient for Merit.
11.
The two ways ‘work’ is addressed gives thoughtful touch to this answer.
12.
Understanding of the sustainability concept is shown.
13.
The past – present link made with Kauri threat shows thought and insight.
14.
These are two points well made – they are perceptive comments. Elaboration of
these two points would have moved this answer into the Excellence category.
© Crown 2010
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Geography 1.3A for Achievement Standard 91009
Grade Boundary: High Achieved
There are strong and weak features of these answers. The work presented with the
visual format, looks better than it actually is when measured against requirements of
the standard.
15.
The standard asks for a ‘how and why’ answer about use of the environment. This
answer has no ‘why’ content. It would be harsh however o make the overall result Not
Achieved on this basis alone – often the ‘why’ part can be found in answer to other
tasks (in this case in Task 2). This is a case for the use of holistic judgement when
awarding the final grade.
16.
This answer has impressive detail about logging, and the old photo and commentary
make powerful points about ‘consequences of use’ on both the environment and
people. This answer is of Merit standard.
17.
An understanding of the concept of sustainability is shown in the fist sentence. The
answer is mostly descriptive (a feature of Achieved rather than Merit). The use of
‘cute and paste’ from a brochure (Caring for the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park)
while providing relevant context, requires elaboration and comment by the student to
make it material that shows understanding and enhances the answer.
© Crown 2010
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Geography 1.3A for Achievement Standard 91009
Grade Boundary: Low Achieved
The answers adhere closely to the task instructions. The bullet point format does not
‘encourage’ the giving of detailed answers. Description and explanation are often
difficult to distinguish within answers. The content of these answers seems more
descriptive than explanatory, hence Merit is a long way off. The brevity and lack of
specifics in the answer make them just sufficient in quality for Achieved.
The format of the answers would make them ideal for accompanying an illustrated
PowerPoint and oral presentation or being the ‘notes’ to accompany a promotional
DVD. If this occurred then Merit and Excellence might be gained.
18.
This answer about ‘features’ (answering the first bullet point part of Task 1) is a
valuable for setting the scene, but does not address any requirement of the standard.
In terms of meeting requirements of the standard and the answer is not needed.
Marking against the standard needs to take place to determine whether or not
requirements of the standard are being met. If no answer to ‘describing features of
the ranges’ was given, a satisfactory answer about how and why people use the
environment would still be sufficient.
19.
Uses are described without reasons being given.
20.
Impacts on both people and on the environment are covered. The ‘positive’ and
‘negative’ catergorisation enhances the answer quality. Specific Waitakere Ranges
detail is lacking (eg location and other place names, name of plants and birds).
21.
All of this is true, but understanding of the concept of sustainability is not made
explicit although it could be read as implied. This makes the answer Low Achieved in
quality.
© Crown 2010
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Geography 1.3A for Achievement Standard 91009
Grade Boundary: High Not Achieved
The answers read well and contain correct factual content. The problem with the
answers is that not all requirements of the standard as covered in Explanatory Note 2
are addressed. More direct and explicit coverage of EN2 requirements are needed for
the answers to meet Achieved standard overall.
22.
Features of the ranges are described but it is not clear that ‘how and why people
have used the environment’ has been covered in the answer. Much of the answer
content is a ‘direct copy’ from a council booklet and understanding of the ‘how and
why’ requirement is not clearly shown.
23.
This answer can be seen as providing information about ‘how and why people use
the environment’ more than describing the consequences of the use. Although the
answer has some good detail about the logging process, it requires the market to
‘read into the answer’ the consequences/impact on the environment and on people.
24.
The last sentence shows an understanding of the meaning of sustainability. Although
the answer is brief and lacks specifics it is just sufficient for Achieved in addressing
the ‘sustainability or otherwise’ aspect of the standard.
© Crown 2010