Download 91606 Sample Assessment Schedule

NCEA Level 3 Biology 91606 (3.6) — page 1 of 4
SAMPLE ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
Biology 91606 (3.6): Demonstrate understanding of trends in human evolution
Assessment Criteria
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
Demonstrate understanding
involves using biological ideas to
describe trends in human evolution.
Demonstrate in-depth understanding
involves using biological ideas to
explain how or why trends in human
evolution occur.
Achievement with Excellence
Demonstrate comprehensive
understanding involves linking
biological ideas about trends in
human evolution. The linking of
ideas may involve justifying,
relating, evaluating, comparing
and contrasting, analysing using
scientific evidence.
NCEA Level 3 Biology 91606 (3.6) — page 2 of 4
Evidence Statement
Question One
Expected Coverage
Achievement
Australopithecus has a wider pelvis than the
chimpanzees which, like the human pelvis,
supports the weight of the upper body over a
larger area, indicating bipedalism.
The relative distance between hip and sacroiliac joint is shorter in Australopithecus and
humans than it is in chimpanzees,
strengthening the region transmitting body
weight between them (the two joints), which
also indicates bipedalism.
The Australopithecus femur has a valgus
angle similar to the human femur, which
enables the centre of gravity to be almost
directly above the knee and a knee joint, which
has greater buttressing to support the upper
body being upright. This is similar to the
human skeleton, but differs from the
chimpanzee, which has no valgus angle, and a
smaller knee joint. The chimpanzee, being a
quadruped, does not need upper body
support.
Selective advantages gained from bipedal
locomotion are that it enables efficient
movement on the ground, providing more
energy for reproduction, and frees the hands
to carry things and use simple tools. The
associated erect stance increases cooling of
the upper body and decreases exposure to
sunlight in open grassland.
NØ
No response; no
relevant evidence
N1
ONE
partial
idea
N2
ONE
point
Merit
Excellence
Candidate:
Candidate:
 identifies 2
features of
the pelvis,
knee, or
femur
relevant to
bipedalism
 compares TWO
structures of
Australopithecus to
humans and
chimpanzees and
explains relevance to
bipedalism
 makes
relevant
comparison
s between
Australopith
ecus and
chimp and
human
 explains selective
advantages of being
bipedal
Candidate evaluates:
 evidence for
bipedalism
shown by the
pelvis and leg
structures by
drawing
comparisons
between
Australopithecus,
chimpanzees
and humans
AND
selective
advantages by
explaining why
bipedalism would
be an advantage,
including
increase in
survival/
reproduction due
to energy saved
 identifies
relevant
selective
advantages
of being
bipedal
A3
A4
TWO
point
s
THRE
E
points
M5
ONE
Merit
point
M6
TWO Merit
points
(including
efficient
locomotion)
E7
E
E8
Fully
evaluates all
ideas inc.
bipedalism
selection due
to pressures
(e.g. climate)
NCEA Level 3 Biology 91606 (3.6) — page 3 of 4
Question Two
Expected Coverage
Achievement
Earliest known stone tool technology (2mya)
associated with Homo habilis, known as Oldowan
where stone pebbles were struck or chipped away on
one side to produce sharp flakes for cutting.
Acheulean stone tools (1.8mya – 0.3mya) associated
with H. erectus were more complex, bifacial flake
tools, took longer to make. Greater cutting edges.
Their use may have involved fire.
Mousterian tools (200,000 ya) associated with H.
neanderthalensis were more finely made and varied,
including points, blades and scrapers, used to work
with other materials.
Upper Palaeolithic tools, by comparison reflected more
refined tool making techniques and greater skill in
manufacture. Most edges were sharpened, other
materials were used such as bone and rope and there
was increased leverage using handles. Tools included
hooks and harpoons.
Tool technology changed rapidly through a succession
of tool industries. A Palaeolithic knife blade needed
about 250 blows to make it, compared with about 100
blows for a Mousterian knife and about 50 blows to
make an Acheulean hand axe, 6-10 for an Odowan
hand axe.
Candidate
describes:
Candidate
explains:
 main features
of earlier tool
technologies
(two), or
general trend
 earlier tool
technologies
and
compares
with Upper
Palaeolithic
tools (#
blows,
shape,
material,
specialised,
etc)
 an advanced
feature of
Palaeolithic
tools
 relationship
between
Upper
Palaeolithic
technology
and increased
skill
development
 links between
useful /skilful
tools and
better survival
The impact of Palaeolithic tool technology on cultural
evolution would have been better hunting success with
more sophisticated tools, allowing more time for social
interaction/ making jewellery/ etc. The ability to build
shelters and make protective clothing increased the
range of their makers and perhaps the range of food.
Tools could be used for sculpture, making items of
value for trading, which improved communication, and
further advanced cultural evolution. Better diet (more
protein) allowed for better brain development (esp. in
young) and therefore further cultural advances.
NØ
No response; no relevant
evidence
N1
ONE
partial
idea
Merit
 at least ONE
impact of
Upper
Palaeolithic
tool
technology
on cultural
evolution in
H. sapiens
(e.g. greater
hunting
success so
increased
food so
greater brain
development
so increased
cultural
advances
OR better
hunting so
more time to
make better
tools/
jewellery/
communicat
e/ make
clothes,
improving
culture, etc)
Excellence
Candidate
comprehensivel
y compares/
evaluates:
 earlier tool
technologies
with Upper
Palaeolithic
tool
technology,
with some link
to impact
 impacts of
(stated) Upper
Palaeolithic
tool
technology
advancement
s on cultural
evolution with
reasons
N2
A3
A4
M5
M6
E7
E8
ONE point
TWO
points
THREE
points
ONE
Merit
point
TWO
Merit
points
ONE E
point
TWO E
points
NCEA Level 3 Biology 91606 (3.6) — page 4 of 4
Question Three
Expected Coverage
Achieved
The type of evidence that could be collected from
fossils is similarities and differences in the bases/
alleles in particular sections of mtDNA/ Y
chromosomes/ non-coding regions etc.
Genetic comparisons can be used to look for links
to or similarities between different populations that
existed at the same or at different times. For
example, mtDNA can be used to trace back via
the female line and give a time estimate since a
single common ancestor, due to its known rate of
mutation. Similarities in DNA from genome
analysis can identify relatedness between
hominins, in this case between the Denisovans
and Melanesians.
Genetic analysis gives information about the
movements of hominins that cannot be learned
from fossils alone, such as the mixing of ancestral
H. sapiens with the Denisovans and
Neanderthals.
This evidence does not fit with the O of A theory
as it suggests populations migrated from Africa
and may have mixed/interbred with other
hominins already outside of Africa, instead of
replacing them. However it does support the O of
A theory in that the current population living near
Denisova is not related to the ancient fossils and
appears to have replaced them.
Candidate
describes:
 the type of
genetic
evidence that
could be
collected
 a genetic
comparison
that can be
made between
populations, or
makes such a
comparison
 the
multiregional
theory
 describe the
OOA theory
No response; no relevant
evidence
N1
ONE
partial
idea
Excellence
Candidate explains:
Candidate
discusses/
comprehensive
ly explains:
 how genetic
evidence that
could be collected
could be used,
e.g. mtDNA found
in the
mitochondria of
cells can be used
to track ancestry
via the maternal
line, given known
mutation rates
 reasons for
making genetic
comparisons
between
populations, e.g.
shows dispersal
direction /shows
possible
interbreeding /
shows lineage or
replacement
 the use of
genetic
evidence in
explaining
the dispersal
of hominins
 with
examples,
how the
evidence
given helps
to support or
disprove
current
dispersal
theories
 how a current
dispersal theory
relates to the
evidence given,
e.g. multiregional
states that there is
gene flow
between the
populations, as
between the
Melanesians and
Denisovans
The finding that non-African populations contain
up to 5% Neanderthal DNA sequences suggests
gene flow between different emerging populations
of hominins, which supports the multi-regional
model, where different dispersals happened at
varying times and gene flow between them
occurred.
NØ
Merit
N2
A3
A4
M5
ONE
point
TWO
points
THREE
points
TWO
Merit
points
M6
THREE
Merit
points
E7
E8
ONE E
point
TWO
E
points