The assessments included seven tasks, five of which asked students to identify and consider the meaning of images and events that have special significance for their own or others' country and cultures. Two tasks asked students to consider the significance and meaning for people today of events that occurred in the past.

Five tasks were identical for both year 4 and year 8, and one investigated the same understandings at both levels but through different methods of administration. One task was attempted only by year 8 students.

Two of the seven tasks have been selected as link tasks, to be used again in the year 2001, and therefore are not described in detail here. The other tasks are released tasks for which full details are given.

The chapter presents the assessment tasks in the following order:

Results show that year 8 students performed better than year 4 students on all of the common tasks, although there was a wide spread of scores from very capable to poor at both levels. In Stamps of New Zealand very few students gave distinctively Mäori images or symbols among those considered particularly special to New Zealand's identity, and a majority of students struggled to explain the meaning and significance of the make-up of New Zealand's Flag. The Marae task showed that by year 8 a growing number of students are familiar with the meaning of traditional elements of a welcoming ceremony. In the task titled Identity, 50 percent of year 4 students and 84 percent of year 8 students were able to identify two or three features that are unique to Mäori culture. When asked to identify events that are particular to another country (Spain), a substantial number of year 8 students were able to make correct decisions. The results for Link task 6 showed that a modest percentage of year 8 students, and an very small percentage of year 4 students, were able to satisfactorily answer questions related to a picture showing an historical event.