NCEA Level 2 Science (90767) 2010 — page 1 of 2
Assessment Schedule – 2010
Science: Describe New Zealand’s geological history (90767)
Evidence Statement
Q
ONE
Evidence Statement
Erosion of vast amounts of silt
and sand from eastern Gondwana
was carried out into the ocean in
period after the Tahua orogeny
and deposited out to sea.
The layers of material became
compacted and cemented on the
ocean floor to form sedimentary
rock, greywacke.
A fault occurred in the earth’s
crust off the eastern coast of
Gondwana.
The resulting plate movement
caused the greywacke to be
uplifted above sea level. This was
the Rangitata orogeny.
Achievement
Statement includes
description that
involves TWO of:
• erosion
• sediment
• uplift.
A description may be
shown using a labeled
diagram.
Achievement with
Merit
Explanation that
includes:
Erosion of material
carried out into ocean.
Compaction to give
sedimentary rock
Explanation linking
plate movement to
uplift and / or
mountain building.
An explanation may be
shown by using a
labeled visual
representation.
Achievement with
Excellence
Discussion of how the
bedrock of greywacke
was uplifted from
beneath the ocean that
includes:
• Erosion of silt and
sand from Gondwana.
• Deposited in the
ocean.
• Compaction and
cementation to give
greywacke.
• Inclusion of
subduction or plate
collision uplifts
greywacke on plate
boundary.
A discussion may be
shown by using a
labeled visual
representation (with
explanatory notes).
TWO
Sedimentary rock, greywacke, is
carried deep into the earth’s crust
along the subduction zone.
It is transformed into the
metamorphic rocks schist and
gneiss by the differing pressures
and heats depending on the
different burial depths.
These reformed rocks are uplifted
by the tectonic plate movement
(colliding or subducting plates)
and softer rock eroded away by
wind and water to expose the
harder metamorphic rocks
underneath.
Statement includes
description. TWO of:
Sedimentary rock
buried deep in the
earth’s crust.
Transformed by heat
and pressure.
Exposed by erosion.
A description may be
shown using a labeled
diagram.
Explanation that
involves how
metamorphic rocks
form and can appear on
the surface includes
THREE of:
Discussion that links
the metamorphism to
plate movement and
exposure by linking
THREE of the
following:
• Sedimentary rock
(greywacke) becomes
buried in earth’s
crust.
• Transformed into
schist and gneiss due
to temperature and
pressure.
• Uplift.
• Erosion.
• Greywacke buried,
carried down deep into
earth’s crust by plate
movement.
• Transformation into
different metamorphic
rocks depending on
depth.
• Uplift due to plate
movement.
• Softer rock eroded by
wind, water etc to
expose harder rock.
An explanation may be
shown by using a
labeled visual
representation.
A discussion may be
shown by using a
labeled visual
representation (with
explanatory notes).
NCEA Level 2 Science (90767) 2010 — page 2 of 2
THREE
Opposing convection currents in
the mantle lead to the creation of
a spreading (diverging) plate
boundary in the crust. The
magma rises up to fill the gap as
new oceanic crust (basalt) is
uplifted and solidifies. The plates
continue to move apart, with
younger rock material forming at
the centre of the plate divergence.
The ocean fills the gap (rift
valley) leading over time to the
formation of the Tasman Sea as
the land masses moved apart.
Statement includes
description with TWO
key points:
Explanation that shows
how New Zealand
separated and includes:
• Convection currents
in the mantle.
• Crust separation or
• Sea floor spreading.
• Magma rises.
• Plates move apart.
• Rift valley forms or
ocean moves into
gap.
• Convection currents
create spreading plate
boundary.
• Change in spreading
plate boundary.
• New material at the
centre.
• Formation of oceanic
crust as land mass
separates.
• Ocean fills the gap
(rift valley) leading to
formation of Tasman
Sea.
A description may be
shown using a labeled
diagram.
An explanation may be
shown by using a
labeled visual
representation.
Discussion that links
the plate movement to
New Zealand’s
separation and includes:
• Diverging convection
currents creating
separating plate
boundary.
• Sea floor separation.
• Cooling magma
forming the new sea
floor.
• New oceanic crust
(basalt) uplifted.
• Movement away from
plate boundary
widening.
• Ocean fills the
widening gap (Rift
valley) leading to
Tasman Sea.
A discussion may be
shown by using a
labeled visual
representation (with
explanatory notes).
Judgement Statement
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
Achievement with Excellence
2A
1M+1A
1E+1M