Exemplar for internal assessment resource Religious Studies for Achievement Standard 90819 Exemplar for Internal Achievement Standard Religious Studies Level 1 This exemplar supports assessment against: Achievement Standard 90819 Describe key beliefs of a religious tradition An annotated exemplar is an extract of student evidence, with a commentary, to explain key aspects of the standard. It assists teachers to make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries. New Zealand Qualifications Authority To support internal assessment from 2014 NZQA 2014
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Religious Studies for Achievement Standard 90819 Grade Boundary: Low Excellence 1. For Excellence, a student needs to comprehensively describe the key beliefs of a religious tradition. This involves: making some links between the source or origin of each belief (including its historical basis) and its meaning within the religious tradition describing wider implications of the key beliefs. The student has made some links between the origin, in the Anglican catechism, of the key beliefs about the 3 persons of the Trinity and its meaning within the Anglican tradition (1). The student has described comprehensively some of the wider implications of the key beliefs about the three persons of the Trinity, reasoning that if God is the creator of life then this includes creation, and so we must be stewards of this creation, and that all life has a purpose (2). The remainder of the student s work is at a similar level to the excerpt of writing that is exemplified here. For a more secure Excellence, the student could comprehensively describe the key beliefs about the three persons of the Trinity by providing evidence from the teaching of the Anglican Tradition, through church documents and statements. For example, this student could provide evidence of the historical basis of the creeds and catechisms, and more evidence of the wider implications of the Anglican understanding of the three persons of the Trinity, in relation to the issues concerning the beginning and end of life they have identified. NZQA 2014
Christian beliefs are summed up in the Creeds. The Creeds are summaries of Christian belief developed by the early Church based on the Bible and the thinking of the early Church Fathers. The beliefs in the Creeds were developed fromteaching of Jesus and revelations of God to other writers of the Bible (1). The fact that the key beliefs can be linked to teaching of Jesus is very important for Christians as Christians strive to follow Jesus teaching and the way Jesus showed us what God is like (1). It means that for Christians the key beliefs help them to live their life in the way that God wants. The Churches developed Catechisms as a way of teaching Christians both old and new what the beliefs in the Creed mean in more detail. The Anglican Catechism is set out as questions and answers. Different Christian traditions have developed their own Catechism format. From the Creed I will cover three main beliefs. In the Apostles Creed it says Christians believe God created the world (I believe in God, the Father creator of heaven and earth) and that Jesus was sent to show us God s love and to bring us back to God. (I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit) (1). The Anglican Catechism explains this belief: Q Why did he take our human nature? A. The divine Son became human, so that in him human beings might be adopted as children of God, and be made heirs of God's kingdom. Q. What is the great importance of Jesus' suffering and death? A. By his obedience, even to suffering and death, Jesus made the offering which we could not make; in him we are freed from the power of sin and reconciled to God.) The Holy Spirit is God s presence with us now. The Anglican Catechism explains that the Holy Spirit is God at work in the Church now The belief that God created the world means that Christians believe that life has a purpose and that God has a plan for life. This also means that people are part of God s creation and that God created us for a purpose. In Genesis it says God created people in his own image. The significance of this for Christians is that every person is special. This means race, age or gender are not important. It means that sick or handicapped people are also part of God s creation. It also means we don t have the right to decide when life should end. This belief is summed up in the verse from 1 John 4:19 we love God because he first loved us God loves us by creating us and the world (2). This belief is not only significant to individual Christians but also has implications for the way Christians respond to other issues. For example, Christians see the environment as being God s creation and that Christians are God s stewards (2). This means that the earth s resources have been provided for us by God and that we should use them responsibly.the Anglican Catechism says Q. What does this mean about our place in the universe? A. It means that the world belongs to its creator; and that we a recalled to enjoy it and to care for it in accordance with God's purposes. This belief also shapes Christian ethical understanding such as attitudes to abortion and euthanasia (2). Because Christian belief God is the creator of life the Anglican Catechism teaches
Q. What does this mean about human life? A. It means that all people are worthy of respect and honour, because all are created in the image of God, and all can respond to the love of God.
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Religious Studies for Achievement Standard 90819 Grade Boundary: High Merit 2. For Merit, a student needs to describe in detail the key beliefs of a religious tradition. This involves outlining the significance of the key beliefs within the religious tradition. The student has outlined the significance of key beliefs about the three persons of the Trinity within Anglican tradition - the beliefs that because God created the universe it is good, and the belief that God creates, sustains and directs it (3). The remainder of the student s work is at a similar level to the excerpt of writing that is exemplified here. To reach Excellence, the student could provide some more links between the source or origin of each belief about the three persons of the Trinity (including its historical basis) and its meaning within the Anglican tradition. The student would also need to comprehensively describe the wider implications of the key beliefs about the three persons of the Trinity for the Anglican tradition. For example, this student could include the historical reasons for the development of the creeds and catechisms. This student could also provide evidence of the link between the belief that God is the Creator of all to life issues for wider implications of the key belief. NZQA 2014
Christian beliefs are summed up in the Creed. The Creeds such as the Apostles and Nicene Creed were developed by early Christian to make clear statements of the teaching of Jesus and other Biblical teaching. In the past to help people understand these Creeds various Catechisms (Questions and Answers) were developed and these were taught to Christians. From the Creeds I will cover three main beliefs. Christians believe God created the world and that Jesus was sent to show us God s love and to bring us back to God. The Holy Spirit is God s presence with us now (3). The belief that God created the world means that Christians believe that life has a purpose and that God has a plan for life (3). The Anglican Catechism explains this as meaning that the universe is good, that it is the work of a single loving God who creates, sustains, and directs it (3). Believing God is the Creator of all means that Christians believe people are part of God s creation and that God created us for a purpose. In Genesis (Gen 1:26) it says God created people in his own image. The significance of this for Christians is that every person is special. This means race, age or gender are not important. It means that sick or handicapped people are also part of God s creation. It also means we don t have the right to decide when life should end. This belief is summed up in the verse from 1 John 4:19 we love God because he first loved us God loves us by creating us and the world.
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Religious Studies for Achievement Standard 90819 Grade Boundary: Low Merit 3. For Merit, a student needs to describe in detail the key beliefs of a religious tradition. This involves outlining the significance of the key beliefs within the religious tradition. The student has outlined key beliefs about the three persons of the Trinity within the Anglican Tradition (4), describing the significance of beliefs about God as Creator (5). The student has outlined the meaning of this key belief with reference to 1John 4:19 (6). The remainder of the student s work is at a similar level to the excerpt of writing that is exemplified here. The student also briefly describes some of the significance of other beliefs (not exemplified in this extract). For a more secure Merit, the student could outline the significance of the origin or source of the creed, and provide evidence of the significance of both Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the Trinity. NZQA 2014
Christian beliefs are summed up in the Creed. From the Creed I will cover three main beliefs. Christians believe God created the world and that Jesus was sent to show us God s love and to bring us back to God. The Holy Spirit is God s presence with us now (4). The belief that God created the world means that Christians believe that life has a purpose and that God has a plan for life. This also means that people are part of God s creation and that God created us for a purpose. In Genesis it says God created people in his own image. The significance of this for Christians is that every person is special (5). This means race, age or gender are not important. It means that sick or handicapped people are also part of God s creation. It also means we don t have the right to decide when life should end. This belief is summed up in the verse from 1 John 4:19 we love God because he first loved us God loves us by creating us and the world (6).
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Religious Studies for Achievement Standard 90819 Grade Boundary: High Achieved 4. For Achieved, a student needs to describe the key beliefs of a religious tradition. This involves: identifying key beliefs of the religious tradition outlining the source or origin of each belief outlining the meaning of each belief. The student has outlined key beliefs about the three persons of the Trinity within the Anglican tradition (7). The student has outlined the meaning of the key belief of God as creator with reference to that we are created for a purpose and in his own image (8). The remainder of the student s work, outlining another key belief, is at a similar level to the excerpt of writing that is exemplified here, describing two key beliefs overall. To reach Merit, the student could describe in detail the origin or source of the creed, and provide evidence of the significance of both Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the Trinity. NZQA 2014
Christian beliefs are summed up in the Creed. From the Creed I will cover three main beliefs. Christians believe God created the world and that Jesus was sent to show us God s love and to bring us back to God. The Holy Spirit is God s presence with us now (7). The belief that God created the world means that Christians believe that life has a purpose and that God has a plan for life. This also means that people are part of God s creation and that God created us for a purpose. In Genesis it says God created people in his own image (8).
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Religious Studies for Achievement Standard 90819 Grade Boundary: Low Achieved 5. For Achieved, a student needs to describe the key beliefs of a religious tradition. This involves: identifying key beliefs of the religious tradition outlining the source or origin of each belief outlining the meaning of each belief. The student has briefly outlined key beliefs about the three persons of the Trinity within the Anglican Tradition (9) and very briefly describes the belief that God created the world, and its meaning (10). The remainder of the student s work is at a similar level to the excerpt of writing that is exemplified here, describing two key beliefs overall. For a more secure Achieved, the student could describe and identify the origin or source of the creed, and provide further description of God as Creator, Jesus as showing God s love and the presence of the Holy Spirit with us now; and what this means for those who believe it. NZQA 2014
Christian beliefs are summed up in the Creed. From the Creed I will cover three main beliefs. Christians believe God created the world and that Jesus was sent to show us God s love and to bring us back to God. The Holy Spirit is God s presence with us now (9). The belief that God created the world means that Christians believe that life has a purpose and that God has a plan for life (10).
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Religious Studies for Achievement Standard 90819 Grade Boundary: High Not Achieved 6. For Achieved, the student needs to describe the key beliefs of a religious tradition. This involves: identifying key beliefs of the religious tradition outlining the source or origin of each belief outlining the meaning of each belief. The student has stated a key belief from within the Anglican tradition that Jesus was sent by their almighty creator God, but does not complete a description of it (11). The remainder of the student s work is at a similar level to the excerpt of writing that is exemplified here, describing two key beliefs overall. To reach Achieved, the student could describe the origin or source of the creed, and provide further description of their understanding of Jesus as a kind and giving soul sent by God and what this means for those who believe it. NZQA 2014
Christians have many beliefs which are in the Creed and also questions and answers for Christians to learn. Christians believe that Jesus was a kind and giving soul sent by their almighty creator God (11).