Exemplar for Internal Assessment Resource Earth and Space Science Level 2. Resource title: Humans in Extreme Environments

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1 Exemplar for Internal Assessment Resource Earth and Space Science Level 2 Resource title: Humans in Extreme Environments This exemplar supports assessment against: Achievement Standard Investigate how organisms survive in an extreme environment Expected responses The moderators have developed expected student responses from a wide variety of sources Date version published by Ministry of Education December 2011 To support internal assessment from 2012

2 Grade Boundary: Low Excellence 1. Investigate comprehensively how organisms survive in an extreme environment involves: selecting and processing information that provides integrated links between conditions of the extreme environment and biological adaptations or technological modifications justifying, using the processed information, how the biological adaptations or technological modifications allow the organism(s) to survive the conditions of the extreme environment. What makes this a low excellence: Has at least 2 traceable sources. Has authentic processing and sorting of information. Has extended explanations for why Antarctica requires technology for survival. Has extended explanations for how technology enables survival. Provides some justification of how technology enables human survival in Antarctica. Links to some science of extremely cold temperatures. Often has appropriately acknowledged illustrations. Expression is more fluent. High excellence has comprehensive examples, linkages and justification. To achieve the standard securely at excellence grade full evidence of the justification for how humans survive in extreme cold would be required.

3 Student 1: Low Excellence The average temperature in Antarctica is C and the lowest on Earth has been recorded as C at Vostok Station. For comparison, liquid nitrogen boils at C and freezes at C. Living cells are made mostly of protein and these molecules are easily destroyed when temperatures are more than 45 0 C and lower than C. Extreme cold slows down chemical reactions and a lot of water ice is formed. It is this which destroys living cells. Living in Antarctica can only be possible with technological modifications. Humans cannot naturally produce antifreeze chemicals but they can provide heat energy. There are many different technologies used to sustain people in Antarctica. For example, without light weight and highly insulating synthetic materials, scientific work outside of buildings would be impossible. Modern clothing is lightweight and insulating plastic fibre but still based on the layering principle. There is a trade-off between insulation, breathability and manageability. Buildings are specially designed for retaining heat and the latest design (gizmag.com) has the building on skis and uses cell foam insulation. They also use superglass quad windows which are layered with plastic and filled with gas for insulation. These innovations improve the survivability and enhance productivity of scientists working in Antarctica.

4 Grade Boundary: High Merit 2. Investigate in depth how organisms survive in an extreme environment involves: selecting and processing information that provides links between conditions of the extreme environment and biological adaptations or technological modifications explaining, using the processed information, how the biological adaptations or technological modifications allow the organism(s) to survive the conditions of the extreme environment. What makes this a High Merit: Has 2 traceable sources Has extensive reasons for why technology allows survival in Antarctica Explanations of how technology works have errors and are not elaborated on. Justifications not given. Some statements are not supported To meet excellence this student would need to have full evidence of the justification for how humans survive in extreme cold would be required.

5 Student 2: High Merit Up to 5000 people can be working in Antarctica. Because Antarctica is so cold (up to 70 degrees below zero), machinery and people need special protection otherwise they would not work. Extremely low temperatures causes everything to freeze up. For example, aircraft keep their engines running and antifreeze chemicals are sprayed onto the wings. People also need protection form the cold temperatures otherwise they also would not be able to survive. To work in Antarctica, buildings, machinery and scientific equipment have to be protected. For humans to survive outside in the wild, they have to have lots of layers of insulating material. Modern materials are better than heavy wool and skins and enable perspiration to be evaporated. The extremities of the body like fingers, toes and noses are especially vulnerable to frostbite so have to have good insulators or mittens and specially designed boots.

6 Grade Boundary: Low Merit 3. Investigate in depth how organisms survive in an extreme environment involves: selecting and processing information that provides links between conditions of the extreme environment and biological adaptations or technological modifications explaining, using the processed information, how the biological adaptations or technological modifications allow the organism(s) to survive the conditions of the extreme environment. What makes this a low merit: Has used 2 traceable sources. Has adequate explanations for why technology is needed for survival. Explanations of how the technology enables survival and the justification for this is minimal. To meet the standard securely at merit grade evidence of the explanations for the technology used to survive in extreme cold are required. These need to be factually correct and detailed.

7 Student 3: Low Merit Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth because in the middle of the continent there is very little radiation from the Sun. As a result ice has built up to many thousands of metres thick. Surviving in Antarctica s extreme cold temperatures can only happen with the aid of technology. Hypothermia is the main killer. Most animals and plants are found on the coasts and in the North where ocean currents help keep the temperatures higher than in the centre. Humans would not survive very long without the aid of modern clothing materials. These are light weight and flexible. Buildings are also insulated with foam and plastic and food supplies are nutritious.

8 4. Grade Boundary: High Achieved Investigate how organisms survive in an extreme environment involves: selecting and processing information using the processed information: describing why the conditions of the extreme environment require special biological adaptations or technological modifications for survival describing how the biological adaptations or technological modifications allow the organism(s) to survive in the extreme environment recording sources of information used in a traceable format. What makes this a high achieved: Has used 2 traceable sources. Does not explain why or provide any links between the environment and the technology needed for survival. Does have adequate explanation as to how the technology enables survival. To get merit this student would need to give evidence of the explanations for the technology used to survive in extreme cold. These need to be factually correct and detailed.

9 Student 4: High Achieved Starvation, hypothermia and frostbite killed Robert Scott and his men when they went to the South Pole. The human body cannot survive a core body temperature drop of more than 2 or 3 0 C. The wind chill factor is important and hypothermia can set in very easily. In Antarctica people lose water just by breathing so drinking lots is important for survival. The modern tents that are used in the field by scientists are basically the same as that of Robert Scott but have been modified by using modern materials and design. This design is able to withstand the high winds and they are well insulated against the cold. These are called polar pyramid tents. These tents weigh about 30Kg, can take 3 people comfortably and are a pyramid shape for the best stability. The latest tents are made of tough nylon and ensure survival in a polar blizzard.

10 Grade Boundary: Low Achieved 5. Investigate how organisms survive in an extreme environment involves: selecting and processing information using the processed information: describing why the conditions of the extreme environment require special biological adaptations or technological modifications for survival describing how the biological adaptations or technological modifications allow the organism(s) to survive in the extreme environment recording sources of information used in a traceable format. What makes this a low achieved Has used 2 traceable sources. Inadequate explanation of why and how technology enables survival is mostly descriptive and statements are unsupported. To meet the standard securely at achievement grade evidence of a series of correct descriptions of the environmental conditions and the technology used for survival is required.

11 Student 5: Low Achieved Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth and humans cannot survive there without help. And have to be well insulated from the cold. Humans can survive well in modern buildings but they rely burning fossil fuels for heating and good insulation. Outside buildings humans have to have specially designed clothes that insulate them from the wind and extremely low temperatures. This requires lots of layers of clothing starting with thermal underwear and ending with sunglasses to protect against the UV.

12 6. Grade Boundary: High Not Achieved Investigate how organisms survive in an extreme environment. selecting and processing information using the processed information: describing why the conditions of the extreme environment require special biological adaptations or technological modifications for survival describing how the biological adaptations or technological modifications allow the organism(s) to survive in the extreme environment recording sources of information used in a traceable format. What makes this a high not achieved: Has only used one source of information. Only states that temperatures are extremely low and does not adequately describe how stated technologies work. To meet the standard securely at achievement grade evidence of a series of correct descriptions of the environmental conditions and the technology used for survival is required.

13 Student 6: High Not Achieved Antarctica is at the South Pole and this have the lowest temperatures on Earth averaging about 50 below zero. Mercury melts at 39 degrees below zero. The coldness of Antarctica is difficult to survive in but with new technologies like laminated glass, survival is possible. New tent materials and clothing can insulate better than old tents so people can survive longer.