Refining Māori Inquiry Questions

Name:

Date:

📚 Part 1: Identify and Choose

1. Which of these is the most open-ended inquiry question?

How many Māori served in WWI?

In what ways did WWI change daily life for Māori communities?

When did the war end?

Did Māori support the war?

2. Check all that centre Māori voices and perspectives:

How did whānau (families) experience absence and loss during WWI?

What were the main battles in France?

How did iwi leadership respond to urges to enlist and to conscription debates?

How did the war affect Māori language and cultural practice after 1918?

3. Which criteria make a stronger inquiry question? (Check all that apply)

Closed yes/no answer

Invites exploration of causes, effects or perspectives

Clearly focuses on Māori experiences, social or cultural impacts

Asks for a single numerical fact

4. Choose the best refined version of this weak question: "Did Māori soldiers face racism?"

Did Māori soldiers experience any discrimination during WWI?

In what ways did racial attitudes and army policies shape the wartime experiences of Māori soldiers and their communities?

Was there racism in the army?

5. Revise this weak question into a Māori-centred, open inquiry (write your improved question):

Weak question: "How did Māori soldiers feel in WWI?"

6. List two types of primary sources you would seek to answer your revised question (e.g., letters, iwi records):

7. In one sentence, explain why anchoring your question in Māori voices changes the evidence you prioritise:

8. Group exemplar: Write one exemplar inquiry question your group could research next lesson (keep it focused and researchable):