HELPFUL HINTS FOR HSC AGRICULTURE 2016 MR CONNORS MANILLA CENTRAL SCHOOL PRESIDENT NSW ASSOCIATION AGRICULTURE TEACHERS, HSC MARKER

Students learn about:Students learn to: Soil, nutrients and water 1.chemical and physical characteristics of soil 1.the role of soil nutrient cycles in Australian agricultural systems including the nitrogen cycle and the carbon cycle 1.the role of microbes and invertebrates in the decomposition of organic matter 1.describe chemical characteristics of a soil including soil pH, ion exchange capacity, soil carbon and nutrient status 1.describe physical characteristics of a soil including soil structure, texture, porosity and bulk density 1.perform a first-hand investigation to analyse and report on the physical and chemical characteristics of a soil 1.illustrate the nitrogen cycle and the carbon cycle 1.research using secondary sources the importance of microbes and invertebrates in decomposition and nutrient cycling ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!!! DO NOT JUST DUMP DOWN INFORMATION BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH SYLLABUS – google hsc agriculture syllabus KNOW WHAT ALL THE WORDS MEAN IN THE SYLLABUS QUESTIONS ARE DEVELOPED FROM SYLLABUS DOT POINTS

Name Identify Recall Outline Define Describe Explain Discuss Compare Demonstrate Classify Apply Analyse Predict Critically Analyse Assess Distinguish Evaluate Justify Critically Evaluate Propose Recommend Conceptualise Essential idea of topic Summarise Appreciate What is it? Why is this information important for life? : mine ? / others? What does it do? What does it do? What does it do? What does it do? What does it do? What does it do? What does it do? How does this help answer a question? How does it do it? How does it do it? How does it do it? How does it do it? How does it do it? Similarities and Differences What does it lead to? Advantages and Disadvantages How well does it do it / to what extent? How well does it do it / to what extent? How well does it do It / to what extent? Judgment (positive / negative; beneficial / harmful; valid / invalid). Judgment (positive / negative; beneficial / harmful; valid / invalid). How do the concepts interrelate? LINKING WORDS for instance for example including for instance for example also in addition similarly therefore because however therefore thus as a result leading to also in addition similarly therefore because however therefore because for instance BAND ( Higher order answers consist of everything that comes before it.) – 6

Students learn about:Students learn to: Soil, nutrients and water 1.chemical and physical characteristics of soil 1.the role of soil nutrient cycles in Australian agricultural systems including the nitrogen cycle and the carbon cycle 1.the role of microbes and invertebrates in the decomposition of organic matter 1.describe chemical characteristics of a soil including soil pH, ion exchange capacity, soil carbon and nutrient status 1.describe physical characteristics of a soil including soil structure, texture, porosity and bulk density 1.perform a first-hand investigation to analyse and report on the physical and chemical characteristics of a soil 1.illustrate the nitrogen cycle and the carbon cycle 1.research using secondary sources the importance of microbes and invertebrates in decomposition and nutrient cycling ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!!! DO NOT JUST DUMP DOWN INFORMATION BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH SYLLABUS – google hsc agriculture syllabus KNOW WHAT ALL THE WORDS MEAN IN THE SYLLABUS QUESTIONS ARE DEVELOPED FROM SYLLABUS DOT POINTS This can’t be turned into evaluate how farmers can manage plant production systems to overcome environmental constraints

ACCESS BOS HSC SUPPORT MATERIAL – PAST HSC PAPERS AND SAMPLE ANSWERS – Be careful because sometime marking guidelines and sample answers are very concise and you should be prepared to write more in the HSC. MAKE SUMMARIES AND PRACTICE LOTS OF PAST PAPERS BE FAMILIAR WITH PAPER FORMAT MULTIPLE CHOICE – 20 MARKS CORE (9.1 AND 9.2) – 55 MARKS ELECTIVE 9.3 – 25 MARKS MULTIPLE CHOICE – READ CAREFULLY CROSS OUT OPTIONS THAT YOU KNOW ARE WRONG ALWAYS COLOUR IN ONE OPTION – COLOUR IN WHOLE CIRCLE MULTIPLE CHOICE INFORMATION MAY HELP WITH OTHER PART/S OF PAPER?

LETS PUT IT INTO PRACTICE……. Use the next few minutes to analyse the following dot point, then write down a few possible exam questions they could write from this dot point…… Now write a possible answer (if it was work six marks) Remember, evaluate means pros, cons and judgement ………………….

LETS PUT IT INTO PRACTICE……. Now lets mark it. Pass your answer to the person next to you, and I’ll explain how this will be marked for a 6 mark question. Note the word range (this means plural, more than one), therefore ….

CORE – EXTENDED RESPONSE MAY COMMENCE WITH AN EASIER (LOWER BAND) QUESTION FOLLOWED BY A HIGHER BAND QUESTION

ARROWS CAN BE HELPFUL BUT CHECK THEY ARE GOING THE RIGHT WAY! READ CAREFULLY AND BREAK DOWN QUESTIONS DO NOT RE-WRITE QUESTION !!

YOU CAN USE DOT POINTS FOR ‘NAME’ ‘IDENTIFY’ ‘LIST’ however, be sure to expand to the best of your ability. WRITE LOTS AND LOTS - markers will delete what is incorrect in most cases USE SUB-HEADINGS AND FOR EVERY GENERAL STATEMENT GIVE A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE….QUESTIONS ARE DESIGNED TO BE GENERAL IN NATURE BUT TO ANSWER WITH SPECIFICS

USE DIAGRAMS TO HELP EXPLAIN Mean=Average Standard deviation= The measure of how spread out numbers are

SKIP QUESTIONS AND COME BACK TO THEM IF NOT SURE – ALWAYS TRY AND WRITE SOMETHING!! WRITE ACCORDING TO MARKS TRY AND WRITE AS MUCH OR MORE THAN LINES SUGGEST

KNOW WHAT YOUR ELECTIVE IS AND DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO ATTEMPT ANOTHER…….. This will bring you unstuck. USE 5 MINUTES READING TIME AT THE BEGINNING TO CHECK IF THERE IS A “STUDY” QUESTION – YOU MUST WRITE ON YOUR STUDY FOR THIS QUESTION!!! ALLOW 45 MINUTES FOR THIS SECTION – YOU NEED TO HAVE THE TIME TO BREAK DOWN QUESTIONS, PLAN YOUR REPSONSES AND WRITE LOTS!!! Don’t cross anything out !

NEVER LEAVE AN EXAM EARLY!! ALWAYS KEEP WRITING – ADD SPECIFIC EXAMPLES USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE TO APPLY TO A CONCEPT – eg. It might be a diagram with lettuces and you have studies wheat – the concept will be the same.

STUDY TECHNIQUES READ THROUGH CLASS MATERIAL, RE SUMMARISE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS. ESPECIALLY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES SUCH AS YOUR PRODUCT STUDY, IPM AND SOIL DEGRADATION EXAMPLES. Know this well, you will need to access this info sometime throughout the exam. ACCESS BOS HSC SUPPORT MATERIAL – PAST HSC PAPERS AND SAMPLE ANSWERS – Be careful because sometime marking guidelines and sample answers are very concise and you should be prepared to write more in the HSC. MAKE SUMMARIES AND PRACTICE LOTS OF PAST PAPERS Do the practice papers under exam conditions, this will help you prepare your brain to stay focused for the full time of the exam. BE FAMILIAR WITH PAPER FORMAT MULTIPLE CHOICE – 20 MARKS CORE (9.1 AND 9.2) – 55 MARKS ELECTIVE 9.3 – 25 MARKS