Geography Exemplars
Level 2
AS90337 (2.7) Explain a geographic topic at a global scale (Version 2)
The following examples of student work are in response to resource material available on
the TKI Geography website.
They have been designed to illustrate the type of response expected in relation to the tasks
as they appear in the resources for this achievement standard.
Achievement Criterion 1: Patterns.
Comment
Achieved
The pattern is identified and a
reason for it provided.
Merit
Identifies the pattern and
provides reasons for it. The
answer contains depth.
Exemplar answer
Many species of animals and plants are becoming
endangered in a zone between the tropics of Cancer and
Capricorn – the Tropics. This is because this zone
contains large areas of rainforest which is viewed as an
untapped resource to be exploited.
The endangered animal species of the world tend to be
found concentrated in the areas they are due to the
deforestation of these areas. This rapid deforestation
occurs between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer in
places such as Brazil, Madagascar and Indonesia where
the rainforest is seen as a major economic resource to be
developed. Deforestation causes the animals to lose their
natural habitat so they have nowhere to live or able to find
enough food to support their numbers.
Deforestation occurs for a number of reasons. Rainforests
are being cut down to make way for agriculture. In the
Amazon people are moving from the overcrowded cities to
establish small scale farms.
Excellence
Identifies the pattern and
provides reasons for the
pattern. The reasons are
substantiated with supporting
evidence and examples of
particular species are used as
well as references made to
places from different parts of
the world.
The endangered animal species of the world tend to be
found concentrated in the areas they are due to the
deforestation of these areas. This rapid deforestation
occurs between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer in
places such as Brazil, Madagascar and Indonesia.
Deforestation causes the animals to lose their natural
habitat so they have nowhere to live or able to find enough
food to support their numbers. The lesser panda is
Southern Asia has had its population reduced to less than
2,500 as the trees it uses for food and shelter are cut
down so its ability to survive is reduced. Deforestation
occurs for a number of reasons. In Brazil the rainforest is
being cut down to make way for agriculture. People are
moving to the Amazon from the large cities to establish
small scale farms. Along side this are the wealthy
ranchers who clear vast areas of forest to establish
pasture for their beef cattle. In Borneo forestry and mining
are the main reasons why the rainforests there are being
removed. Creatures such as the Orangatang have
become endangered because of the removal of their
rainforest habitat.
Achievement Criterion 1: Processes
Comment
Low Achieved:
The sequence of events has
been established.
High Achieved:
The sequence of events can
Exemplar answer
Economic growth is where a country produces more or
provides more goods and services. This usually involves
expanding the primary or secondary sectors. Countries in
Africa and Asia are developing their economies by
exploiting their natural resources. In Borneo they are
developing their forestry resources. In Africa, countries
such as Zambia and Nigeria are developing their vast
mineral resources. Developing these raw materials creates
revenue for the government which can be used to improve
infrastructure and social services. The flow on effect is a
rising of living standards in the country. Investment in
these activities also creates employment not just in the
primary industry but in the service industries as well. This
sort of development leads to animal and plant species
becoming endangered through habitat destruction.
Economic growth is a process which endangers species.
be ascertained but much of
the answer deals with the
effects of the process and not
on explaining the process
itself. Reference is made to
different countries and
different regions.
Low Merit
The sequence of actions is
explained and reasons given.
Examples from different parts
of the world are used.
High Merit
The sequence of actions is
explained. The answer
contains depth but by focusing
only on deforestation it lacks
breadth. Reference is made to
Economic growth is where a country increases its
economic potential by expanding its sectors to produce or
provide more goods and services. This can involve the
expansion of agriculture, industry, mining or services.
Countries in Africa and Asia are developing their
economies and to do this they need to exploit their natural
resources. These include things like timber, as in Borneo,
or minerals as in Africa. This leads to the country’s
government creating more revenue, and enabling the
government to expand further, whilst providing better
services for its people. Economic development requires
the use of more land, such as that for farming, or factory
building, and also the use of raw materials and labour.
However, economic development causes animals to be
pushed out of their habitat. Animals cannot live where their
land has been taken for development. Economic growth
also deprives the animals in the areas of needed
resources like grasses, plants, water and shelter. Animals
are unable to live without these. They die off from a lack of
basic needs. In South America the Giant Armadillo and the
short-tailed chinchilla both live in or around the rainforests,
but due to large-scale burning of their habitat in order to
create ranches and clear areas for development, they have
been forced out of their habitat, losing homes, food
sources and water.
Deforestation occurs when people see the forests as
hindering development in another area. In the Amazon
trees are seen as an obstacle to agricultural development
so the trees are cut down and burnt. In removing the
rainforest the habitat of numerous species is destroyed
endangering their existence. Both habitat destruction and
habitat reduction are responsible for the loss of plant and
animal species in the tropical rainforests of the world. In
Brazil animals such as the Giant Armadillo and the Shorttailed chinchilla have become endangered as their habitat
has been destroyed. The rainforests of Indonesia and
Malaysia are being cut down for their timber. This has
caused species such as the Orangatang to become
endangered.
Deforestation is a process which causes the
endangerment of animal species. Deforestation occurs
when people select areas of rainforest they see as being
suitable on which to establish farms or ranches. People,
because of the demand for agricultural produce clear large
different places.
Excellence:
This response explains the
sequence of actions that leads
to the endangering of species.
The answer has depth and
involves a number of
processes – population
growth, deforestation and
economic development. It
therefore has breadth as well.
Reference is made to places
from different parts of the
world.
areas of rainforest by burning it or through cutting down
the trees first for the timber. Either way, the animals’
habitat has been destroyed. In Brazil, the rainforest is
being cleared to establish small scale farming as a means
of resettling people from the overcrowded cities of Sao
Paula and Rio de Janeiro. Large scale ranching also
contributes to huge areas of rainforest being destroyed.
Once farming is established roads are built and soon
settlements begin to expand. This results in more
rainforest being removed. As the remaining areas of
rainforest are reduced the populations of animals is
reduced also because the remaining rainforests are
unable to support large numbers of particular animals or a
large variety of animals. In Brazil animals such as the
Giant Armadillo and the Short-tailed chinchilla have
become endangered as their habitat has been destroyed.
The rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia are being cut
down for the timber. This has caused species such as the
Orangatang to become endangered.
Population growth is the process where the number of
people living in an area increases over time. This can
occur either through natural increase or through migration,
or both. Areas of high population growth include places like
India, parts of Africa such as Nigeria, and in South
America. Population growth occurs in certain parts of the
world and therefore contributes to the endangering of
species in a concentrated pattern. Countries like Brazil
already have a large population and it is continuing to grow
very rapidly. With better nutrition, improved hygiene and
medical care, and rising standards of living, infant mortality
has been drastically reduced and combined with higher life
expectancies populations have increased very rapidly. This
has placed an enormous strain on the resources of those
countries, and particularly on land resources. Agricultural
production has had to grow to cope with the expanding
populations and this is achieved by increasing the number
of farms bringing into production new areas like
rainforests. Cities also expand onto surrounding
countryside destroying habitats. Natural environments give
way to farm land and to cities and as a result all sorts of
species are endangered as their habitats are drastically
altered. Practically all species are under threat because of
expanding human populations. Wolves in the United
States to tigers in India have had their habitats reduced
and as they come into increasing contact with people they
are even more threatened. The increasing populations
require huge amounts of resources to sustain them and
this places a big strain on the environment. More food
needs to be produced, more minerals need to be mined
and more land for settlements are required.
Achievement Criterion 2:
Explain how the geographic topic at a global scale is significant for people.
Comment
Low Achieved:
The answer gives reasons
why the topic is significant for
people but the answer is
limited in scope.
High Achieved:
None of this is relevant to the
task.
Provides an explanation as to
why the topic is important to
people and provides
examples. No depth or
breadth to the evidence.
Low Merit:
The significance to people is
explained. The evidence
contains depth at the Merit
level.
Exemplar answer
People are endangering species all over the world.
Rainforests in Brazil and Borneo are being cut down for
their timber and to create land available to farmers.
Deforestation has concerns for people not just those living
in Brazil or Borneo. Cutting down the trees results in
global warming which causes the seas to rise. This will
cause some Pacific Islands, such as Tuvalu, to be under
water.
People are endangering species with our increasing
industrialisation, our cities expand which drives species
out of their natural habitats and makes it increasingly
harder for food to be found. We pollute the air and water
which causes species to die and we kill animals for our
own luxuries such as fur coats. We cut down rainforests
even though one third of the world’s species live there.
We must try and save many species as they provide us
with medicines. The Pacific Yew tree from North America
has properties that make it suitable to make drugs to
combat ovarian cancer and breast cancer. Unfortunately,
this tree is now endangered. Because of the compounds
contained in plants, especially those substances we don’t
yet know about, it is important to maintain the world’s biodiversity. The loss of plants can result in an enhanced
greenhouse effect and global warming. The destruction of
the world’s tropical rainforests is a major concern. The
effects of cutting down the rainforests can be felt along
way off. For example, cutting down the trees results in
global warming which causes the seas to rise. This will
cause some Pacific Islands, such as Tuvalu, to be under
water.
There is an estimated 80.000 species of edible plants in
the world but humans depend on only a few of them such
as wheat. Large scale commercial agriculture is best
served by focusing on a narrow range of crops, and within
each crop, a narrow variety. The risk of disease wiping out
whole crops becomes a concern in these instances. In the
1970s a fungus almost wiped out the US corn crop.
The Pacific Yew tree from North America has properties
that make it suitable to make drugs to combat ovarian
cancer and breast cancer. Unfortunately, this tree is now
endangered.
High Merit:
The significance to people is
explained but further
elaboration is needed. There
is breadth but evidence lacks
depth. Medicinal plants have
some depth, but food plants
and animals do not.
Endangered species must be protected and saved so that
future generations can experience them and benefit from
their value. Plants and animals hold medicinal,
agricultural, ecological, commercial and recreational
value. For example, plants and animals are responsible
for a variety of useful medicines. In fact, 40% of all
prescriptions on the market are composed from the
natural compounds of different plants. These species not
only save lives but they contribute the $40billion a year
pharmaceutical industry. Only 5% of plant species have
been screened for their medicinal properties and yet we
continue to lose up to 100 species daily. For example, the
Pacific Yew tree was once considered a ‘trash tree’ (it was
burned after clear cutting) – but recent studies have found
that a substance in its bark was once the most promising
treatment for ovarian and breast cancer.
There is an estimated 80,000 species of edible plants in
the world but humans depend on only 20, such as rice,
wheat and corn. In the 1970s genetic material from a
Mexican corn species was used to stop a leaf fungus that
had previously wiped out 15% of the US corn crop.
Unless we save these endangered species we are set to
lose more than just the species themselves.. Endangered
animals are now being protected by an international
agreement called CITES (Convention on the International
Trade in Endangered Species). This aims to stop the
killing for trade of endangered species. Ivory from
elephants is one of the products that fall under the CITE
agreement. If ivory cannot be traded there is no reason
for poachers to kill elephants.
Excellence
The significance has been
explained in detail. A number
of species is discussed. This
gives the answer depth and
breadth. References made to
places from different parts of
the world.
The endangering of so many species on our planet should
be a concern to everyone. When species are in trouble as
they are today it indicates that not all is well with earth’s
ecosystem. It is important that we do our best to try and
save these species from extinction as every creature has
a unique purpose. When one species becomes extinct it
can trigger a domino effect where creatures that relied on
that species now face the threat of extinction themselves.
All species are inter-connected in the food chain. Even
plants have a significant place in the ecosystem. Plants
absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere and
convert it to O2 (oxygen). With not enough trees able to
convert CO2 to oxygen it can result in more greenhouse
gases and global warming. With processes such as
deforestation trees are being removed at an alarming rate.
A lot of pressure is put on Brazil to stop the destruction of
the Amazon rainforest. An area the size of Britain is lost
each year to deforestation. Besides their role in producing
oxygen many plants are valuable for their medicinal value.
For example, the Pacific Yew is a tree that is found in the
northwest of the USA contains a chemical, taxol, that is
used in the treatment of ovarian and breast cancers. The
medicinal value of plants is very important in the fight
against diseases yet the Pacific Yew Tree is now
endangered from being clear felled.
In New Zealand habitat destruction and the introduction of
pests have endangered many species of native birds
including the Kiwi. The Department of Conservation has
established predator-free environments in an attempt to
protect some species and to build their numbers up. The
kiwi is the symbol of the country and its survival is
particularly important for New Zealanders. A similar
endangered bird is the eagle which is the symbol of the
United States.