NCEA Level 3 Geography 91429 (3.4) — page 1 of 7

SAMPLE ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE

Geography 91429 (3.4): Demonstrate understanding of a given environment(s) through selection and application of geographic concepts and skills

Assessment Criteria

Achievement / Achievement with Merit / Achievement with Excellence
Demonstrate understanding of a given environment(s)throughthe selection and application of geographic concepts and skillsinvolves:
  • analysing the environment(s) through the selection and application of geographic concepts
  • selecting and using geographic skills and conventions in the presentation and /or interpretation of information.
/ Demonstrate in-depth understanding of a given environment(s) through the selection and application of geographic concepts and skillsinvolves:
  • analysing the environment(s) in detail through the selection and application of geographic concepts
  • selecting and using geographic skills and conventions with precision in the presentation and/or interpretation of information.
/ Demonstrate comprehensiveunderstanding of a given environment(s) through the selection and application of geographic concepts and skillsinvolves:
  • analysing the environment(s) with insight throughthe selection and application of geographic concepts.

Evidence Statement

Question One – Expected coverage
This question tests the skill of interpretation of visual material – one of the skills clearly identified in the standard. The Teaching and Learning Guide provides an example: “They may be asked to describe the physical geography of a region which would draw on skills such as interpreting contour lines, cross sections, climate graphs, and wind roses.”
This question looks at the ability of candidates to describe and explain a natural environment and incorporates the key concept “environment”.
Candidates are not expected to analyse all aspects of Kerala’s natural environment, neither is it expected that they provide detailed explanations of processes such as orographic rainfall or the workings of the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ). The resources are arranged in such a way that links should be apparent. It is recognised that many students pick up Geography at level 3. It is possible that candidates would use information they have learned elsewhere in explaining this environment. That is acceptable but not required.
An example of part of an Excellence answer:
Rainfall is less in the south of Kerala. For example, Trivandrum has 1 736mm of rainfall a year compared to Kozhikode in the north, which has about 3 000mm a year. Areas of higher relief have higher rainfall too. The Cardamom Hills in the east have up to 5 000mm a year, compared to coastal areas that have between 1 000 and 3 000mm a year. This suggests that the relief produces higher rainfall.
The direction of the monsoon suggests that rain clouds are blown onto areas of higher relief, so have higher rainfall.
Forest cover varies from dense on the hills to none on the coastal lowlands. The densest forest is on higher areas, for example in Iddukki and Wayanad. The more open forest is found around the fringes of these higher areas. This is probably because these areas receive higher rainfall than the trees need. There is no forest on the low-lying coastal areas where, generally, there is lower rainfall.
Trivandrum’s annual average temperature is 27.1ºC. Throughout the year there is little variation. The highest monthly average is 28.8ºC and the lowest 26.6ºC. These relatively high temperatures are due to Trivandrum’s location in the tropics. It is about 7ºN and so is warm all year round.
Not Achieved / NØ / No response; no relevant evidence.
N1 / Candidate attempts an answer; picks out some correct detail of soil, relief, rainfall, forest cover, temperature, and / or the monsoon, but does not show understanding of the concept of natural environment.
N2 / For ONE aspect of the environment, the candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions in the interpretation of information
  • includes some specific evidence
  • gives some explanation but it is mainly descriptive
  • shows some understanding of geographic concepts to analyse the environment but their answer lacks depth.

Achievement / A3 / For TWO aspects of the environment, the candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions in the interpretation of information
  • includes some specific evidence
  • gives some explanation but it is mainly descriptive
  • shows some understanding of geographic concepts to analyse the environment but their answer lacks depth.

A4 / For THREE aspects of the environment, the candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions in the interpretation of information
  • includes some specific evidence
  • gives some explanation but it is mainly descriptive
  • shows some understanding of geographic concepts to analyse the environment but their answer lacks depth.

Merit / M5 / For TWO aspects of the environment, the candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation of information
  • includes detailed case study material from the resource booklet; does not have to be integrated
  • shows an in-depth understanding of geographic concepts to analyse the environment.

M6 / For THREE aspects of the environment, the candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation of information
  • includes detailed case study material from the resource booklet; does not have to be integrated
  • shows an in-depth understanding of geographic concepts to analyse the environment.

Excellence / E7 / For TWO aspects of the environment, the candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation of information
  • integrates specific detail from resource booklet
  • has a good use of geographic terminology and concepts eg, uses word pattern
  • shows insight in analysing the environment.

E8 / For THREE aspects of the environment, the candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation of information
  • integrates specific detail from resource booklet
  • has a good use of geographic terminology and concepts eg, uses word pattern
  • shows insight in analysing the environment.

Question Two – Expected coverage
The skill being tested in this question is the ability to select an appropriate method to display information spatially.
It is expected that candidates will choose to construct located graphs – single bar, pie or % bar graphs. A choropleth map would also be an appropriate technique, but would have a limited range.
The concept is change. The focus of the question is on evaluating the effects of change in the fishing industry on the cultural environment.
Some examples of the effects on the cultural environment of changes in the Kerala fishing industry:
Social:
  • People are out of work especially women eg, Sabitha.
  • 40 000 young women migrate to other states. There are major effects on many women who are abused and exploited and family life is disrupted.
These are major effects because they disrupt family life. People are going hungry, which affects physical growth, and families are unable to afford to educate their children, which has long-term effects because young people without qualifications are less likely to get better paying jobs.
Economic:
Kerala is losing money to foreign fishing fleets because they cannot compete with the larger, more modern boats. The major impact on the state’s economy is that fish processing plants close and people are put out of work.
Look for statements that weigh up the consequences of changes in the fishing industry. It is not required but candidates could apply information learnt in other studies.
Not Achieved / NØ / No response; no relevant evidence.
N1 / Candidate:
  • makes only the barest attempt at answering the question; may have provided conventions for part (a) and drawn ONE piece of data which shows the candidate has the right idea; data presentation method is inappropriate eg, just writes figures in regions
  • may have written some relevant facts about the cultural environment but has not given any evaluation.

N2 / Candidate:
  • attempts either part of the question or both parts but with very limited success; data presentation method incomplete
  • may have written some relevant facts about the cultural environment but has not given any evaluation.

Achievement / A3 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions in the interpretation and/or presentation of information
  • makes a correct attempt to present data in part (a)
  • attempts to evaluate how change in the fishing industry affects the cultural environment
  • includes little specific evidence.
  • EITHER the writing OR graph work has serious limitations.

A4 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions in the interpretation and/or presentation of information
  • presents data in an appropriate manner; some conventions present and correct; most data accurately presented
  • attempts to evaluate how change in the fishing industry affects the cultural environment
  • includes some specific evidence.

Merit / M5 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation and/or presentation of information
  • presents data in an appropriate manner – well drawn and presented; most conventions present and correct; most data accurately presented
  • evaluates how change in the fishing industry affects the cultural environment
  • includes detailed case study material from the resource booklet.
  • EITHER the writing lacks depth OR the graph work above lacks precision and/or depth.

M6 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation and/or presentation of information
  • presents data in an appropriate manner – well drawn and presented; most conventions present and correct; most data accurately presented
  • evaluates how change in the fishing industry affects the cultural environment
  • includes detailed case study material included from the resource booklet; does not have to be integrated.

Excellence / E7 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation and presentation of information
  • presents data in an appropriate manner – well drawn and presented; most conventions present and correct; most data accurately presented
  • provides a good evaluation of how change in the fishing industry affects the cultural environment
  • integrates specific detail from the resource booklet
  • shows a good use of geographic terminology and concepts
  • shows insight in analysing the environment.
  • EITHER the writing OR the graph work above is lacking in ONE OR MORE descriptors.

E8 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation and presentation of information
  • presents data in an appropriate manner – well drawn and presented; most conventions present and correct; most data accurately presented
  • provides a good evaluation of how change in the fishing industry affects the cultural environment
  • integrates specific detail from resource booklet
  • shows a good use of geographic terminology and concepts
  • shows insight in analysing the environment.

Question Three – Expected coverage
The skill being tested is interpreting multi-line graphs.
(a) (i) / Accept 650 000–670 000 tonnes of fish.
(a) (ii) / 2002/2003 – 2004/2005
(a) (iii) / Candidate needs to say that the overall pattern of fish production is increasing but with fluctuations.
(b) (i) and (ii) / Possible groups include:
  • traditional fishermen
  • trawler owners
  • foreign fishing boat owners.
Candidate can bring in information from the rest of the resource booklet.
An example of part of an Excellence answer:
Traditional fishermen are totally in favour of the ban because they want to protect the fish that are their livelihood and a key source of protein. They are totally at the end of the continuum because they actually want to extend the ban to be 90 days long, not just 45 days. They know they need to protect the 100+ species that spawn off the coast.
Looking for answers that justify placement on the continuum.
Not Achieved / NØ / No response; no relevant evidence.
N1 / Candidate gives ONE correct answer in part (a)
OR
has some relevant facts about the TWO groups but has given no justification.
N2 / Candidate gives ONE correct answer in part (a)
AND
has some relevant facts about the TWO groups but has given no justification.
Achievement / A3 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions in the interpretation and/or presentation of information
  • gives ONE correct answer in part (a)
  • attempts to justify TWO groups’ perspectives about the monsoon fishing ban
  • includes limited specific evidence.

A4 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions in the interpretation and/or presentation of information
  • gives TWO correct answers in part (a)
  • attempts to justify TWO groups’ perspectives about the monsoon fishing ban
  • includes some specific evidence.

Merit / M5 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation and / or presentation of information
  • gives TWO correct answers in part (a)
  • justifies TWO groups’ perspectives about the monsoon fishing ban; ONE perspective lacks in depth.
  • includes detailed case study material from the resource booklet; does not have to be integrated.

M6 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation and / or presentation of information
  • gives TWO correct answers in part (a)
  • justifies TWO groups’ perspectives about the monsoon fishing ban
  • includes detailed case study material from the resource booklet; does not have to be integrated.

Excellence / E7 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation and presentation of information
  • gives THREE correct answers in part (a)
  • provides good justification of TWO groups’ perspectives about the monsoon fishing ban
  • integrates specific detail from resource booklet
  • shows a good use of geographic terminology and concepts
  • shows insight in analysing the environment.
  • EITHER the writing OR graph work above is lacking in one descriptor.

E8 / Candidate:
  • selects and uses skills and geographic conventions with precision in the interpretation and presentation of information
  • gives THREE correct answers in part (a)
  • provides good justification of TWO groups’ perspectives about the monsoon fishing ban
  • integrates specific detail from resource booklet
  • shows good use of geographic terminology and concepts
  • shows insight in analysing the environment.