Assessment pointers validate teachers’ professional judgement when reporting against a

five-point scale. The pointers:

 are examples of evidence in relation to the achievement standard
 should be used with the annotated student work samples
JUDGING STANDARDS IN YEAR 4  exemplify what students may demonstrate rather than a checklist of everything they
HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES should do.

YEAR 4 HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD

At Standard, students develop questions, locate and collect information and/or data from a variety of sources. They record their information and/or data in a range of formats
and use some protocols when referring to the work of others. Students use given criteria to select relevant information, and they interpret information and/or data by
sequencing events and identifying different points of view. They translate information and/or data into different formats. Students use given decision-making processes to
draw simple conclusions and provide explanations based on information and/or data. They present findings using a range of communication forms appropriate to audience and
purpose, using relevant terms. Students develop texts supported by researched information, and reflect on findings to propose an action.
Students identify the role of local government in the community, and recognise that people’s identity can be shaped through participation in a community group. They
distinguish between rules and laws and identify that rights and responsibilities are important in maintaining social cohesion.
Students identify the location of Africa and Europe, and their major countries, in relation to Australia. They identify the main characteristics of their natural environments and
describe the importance of the interconnections between people, plants and animals at the local to global scale. Students recognise that people have different views on the
sustainable use of natural resources and describe how they can be managed and protected.
Students describe the connection that Australia’s First Peoples have to Country/Place and identify the impact of contact on Indigenous peoples in Australia, and around the
world, as a result of exploration and colonisation. They identify the significance of past events in bringing about change and describe the experiences of an individual or a group
over time. Students explain how and why life changed in the past and identify aspects of the past that have remained the same.

2015/50538v2 [PDF 2015/106059] Published: 15 April, 2016

YEAR 4 HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ASSESSMENT POINTERS
A B
Excellent achievement
Questioning and Develops a range of detailed and
Researching relevant questions to
investigate.
Records detailed and relevant
information and/or data using
different methods, some of
which may be scaffolded.
Analysing Interprets information and/or
data to accurately and
comprehensively sequence
information, make connections
or identify patterns.
Describes, in detail, different
viewpoints contained in the
information and/or data.
Evaluating Draws a detailed conclusion,
supported by relevant
information and/or data.
Communicating and Presents findings, supported by
Reflecting detailed researched facts, in a
range of forms, effectively using
relevant terms.
High achievement
Humanities and Social Sciences skills
Develops a range of relevant
questions to investigate.
Records relevant information
and/or data using different
methods, some of which may be
scaffolded.
Interprets information and/or
data to accurately sequence
information, make connections
or identify patterns.
Describes different viewpoints
contained in the information
and/or data.
Draws a conclusion, supported
by relevant information and/or
data.
Presents findings, supported by
researched facts, in a range of
forms, using relevant terms.
C D
Satisfactory achievement
Develops questions to
investigate.
Records information and/or
data using different methods,
some of which may be
scaffolded.
Interprets information and/or
data to sequence information,
make connections or identify
patterns.
Identifies different viewpoints
contained in the information
and/or data.
Draws a simple conclusion,
supported by some information
and/or data.
Presents findings, supported by
facts, in a range of forms, using
some relevant terms.
E
Limited achievement Very low achievement
Poses simple questions. Does not meet the requirements
of a D grade.
Records some information
and/or data, which may be
irrelevant, using simple
methods.
Interprets information and/or Does not meet the requirements
data, with some inaccuracies. of a D grade.
Identifies a viewpoint contained
in the information and/or data.
Provides a statement. Does not meet the requirements
of a D grade.
Presents findings as listed facts Does not meet the requirements
with some inaccuracies, using of a D grade.
simple, everyday language.
 A B
Excellent achievement
Civics and Citizenship Distinguishes between rules and
laws by describing in detail who
creates and enforces them and
comparing the severity of the
consequences for breaking
them.
Describes, in detail, the
importance of laws by providing
reasonable examples of the
potential outcomes if there
were no laws.
Geography Locates selected places on a
map and describes, in detail, the
main characteristics of the
natural environments of Africa
and Europe.
Explains the interconnections
between places, people and
animals at a range of scales.
Describes, in detail, different
views of how the environment
can be managed and protected.
History Describes, in detail, the impacts
of exploration and colonisation
upon different groups of people.
Explains the significance of an
historical event and provides
relevant examples of change.
High achievement
Knowledge and understanding
Distinguishes between a rule
and a law by describing who
creates and/or enforces them
and the consequences for
breaking them.
Describes the importance of
laws by providing general
examples of the potential
outcomes if there were no laws.
Locates selected places on a
map and describes the main
characteristics of the natural
environments of Africa and
Europe.
Describes, in detail, the
interconnections between
places, people and animals at a
range of scales.
Describes different views of how
the environment can be
managed and protected.
Describes the impacts of
exploration and colonisation
upon different groups of people.
Describes the significance of an
historical event and provides
examples of change.
C D
Satisfactory achievement
Distinguishes between rules and
laws by identifying the different
consequences for breaking
them.
Identifies the importance of
laws by providing simple
examples of the potential
outcomes if there were no laws.
Locates some selected places on
a map and identifies the main
characteristics of the natural
environments of Africa and
Europe.
Describes the interconnections
between places, people and
animals at the local and/or
global scale.
Identifies different views of how
the environment can be
managed and/or protected.
Identifies the impacts of
exploration and colonisation
upon a group of people.
Identifies the significance of an
historical event and provides
simple examples of change.
E
Limited achievement Very low achievement
States some differences Does not meet the requirements
between rules and laws. of a D grade.
Generalises the importance of
laws and provides an
exaggerated or irrelevant
example of what would happen
if they did not exist.
Attempts to locate selected Does not meet the requirements
places, with some inaccuracies, of a D grade.
and lists some characteristics of
Africa and Europe.
Makes a simple connection
between places, people and/or
animals.
Provides a personal opinion on
how the environment is
managed or protected.
Provides a list of impacts of Does not meet the requirements
exploration and colonisation, of a D grade.
which may be irrelevant.
Provides some facts about an
historical event.
 A B C D E
Excellent achievement High achievement Satisfactory achievement Limited achievement Very low achievement

History Explains the experiences of an Describes, in detail, the Describes the experiences of an Identifies some facts about an Does not meet the requirements
individual and/or group in the experiences of an individual individual and/or group in the individual and/or group. of a D grade.
past. and/or group in the past. past.

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