Question 1

What is NCEA AS 91234 about?

Accepted Answer

You need to pick a significant historical event that changed New Zealand and write an essay explaining how it affected real people or groups in our society. Your essay should show two different ways the event impacted New Zealanders, supported by specific historical evidence and examples.

Question 2

What do students need to do for AS 91234?

Accepted Answer

1. Choose a clear, well-defined historical event that genuinely affected New Zealand society (not just events that happened globally) 2. Identify and explain two distinct ways the event impacted specific individuals, groups, or communities in New Zealand 3. Support each impact with detailed, accurate historical evidence—dates, names, statistics, or concrete examples 4. Discuss whether impacts were social, economic, or political, and whether they were short-term or long-term effects 5. Structure your response as a proper essay with introduction, paragraphs developing each impact, and conclusion

Question 3

What's the difference between Achieved, Merit, and Excellence for AS 91234?

Accepted Answer

Achieved: You examine two effects of a historical event on New Zealanders with basic explanations and some supporting evidence, structured as an essay. Merit: You explain in depth how a historical event affected two different groups or individuals in New Zealand, with detailed and well-chosen evidence showing different types of impacts (social, economic, political, or time-based). Excellence: You provide a comprehensive analysis showing deep understanding of the event's significance, evaluate the importance of the different impacts, select strong evidence beyond mainstream examples, and write in a focused way that emphasises significance rather than just describing what happened.

Question 4

What mistakes do students typically make in AS 91234?

Accepted Answer

1. Picking events with limited New Zealand relevance (like 9/11 or COVID-19 generally) instead of events clearly tied to New Zealand society and people 2. Discussing many effects in shallow detail rather than examining two effects thoroughly with strong evidence 3. Writing a narrative account of the event itself instead of analysing how it actually affected people—focus on impact, not storytelling

Historical event impact

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