Lesson 5: Te Pakirehua

Asking the Right Questions

Year 8 Critical Thinking Unit | 45 minutes

Socratic questioning & evidence-based problem-solving

👨‍🏫 Learning Objectives

Key Vocabulary:

🔍 Starter: Question Quality Sorting 8 minutes

Display these questions about climate change:

Shallow Questions:

Deep Questions:

Student Task: Pairs identify the difference, create one more example of each type

🦅 Main Activity: The Mystery of the Missing Moa 25 minutes

Historical NZ Mystery Investigation

The Scenario:

Moa were massive flightless birds that lived in New Zealand for millions of years. Archaeological evidence shows they disappeared around 600-700 years ago, shortly after Polynesian settlement. But what exactly happened? Your job is to solve this mystery using evidence and expert questioning.

Evidence Package:

Clue 1: Moa bones found in middens (ancient rubbish dumps) alongside tools and oven stones

Clue 2: Māori oral traditions mention hunting large birds, but few specific moa stories survive

Clue 3: Pollen records show forest clearance began soon after human arrival

Clue 4: Moa egg fragments found in archaeological sites throughout NZ

Clue 5: No evidence of moa bones in sites dated after 1400 CE

Clue 6: Climate records show no major environmental changes during extinction period

Student Investigation Process (Groups of 4):

  1. Initial Hypothesis (5 minutes): What do you think happened to the moa?
  2. Evidence Analysis (10 minutes): Examine each clue, discuss what it suggests
  3. Expert Questions (10 minutes): Generate questions you'd ask specialists

Types of Experts & Sample Questions:

Archaeologist: "What dating methods did you use? How certain are these dates?"

Māori Elder: "What do oral traditions say about relationships with large birds?"

Paleontologist: "How quickly can large bird populations decline? What are the warning signs?"

Ecologist: "What role did moa play in forest ecosystems? What changed when they disappeared?"

Teacher Facilitation Guide:

💬 Cultural Connection: Māori Oral Histories as Evidence 7 minutes

Understanding Kōrero Tuku Iho

Discussion Questions:

Key Point: Oral histories and scientific evidence can complement each other when used respectfully and carefully.

📱 Digital Activity: Padlet Question Gallery 5 minutes

Task: Each group posts their best "expert questions" on class Padlet

Categories:

Peer Review: Students vote on most insightful questions

📋 INVESTIGATION WORKSHEET - PRINT SECTION

The Mystery of the Missing Moa

Names: _________________________________ Date: ___________

Part 1: Initial Hypothesis

1. What do you think happened to the moa? (Before examining evidence)

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Part 2: Evidence Analysis

2. Which piece of evidence is strongest? Why?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

3. Which evidence is weakest or most questionable? Why?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

4. What patterns do you see across multiple pieces of evidence?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Part 3: Expert Questions

5. Write your three best questions for each expert type:

Archaeologist:

a) _____________________________________________________________________

b) _____________________________________________________________________

c) _____________________________________________________________________

Māori Elder/Cultural Expert:

a) _____________________________________________________________________

b) _____________________________________________________________________

c) _____________________________________________________________________

Ecologist/Environmental Scientist:

a) _____________________________________________________________________

b) _____________________________________________________________________

c) _____________________________________________________________________

Part 4: Revised Conclusion

6. After analyzing evidence and generating questions, what's your best explanation for moa extinction?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

7. What additional evidence would you need to be more certain?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Part 5: Reflection on Questioning

8. What makes a question "good" for investigation?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

9. How did generating questions change your understanding of the mystery?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

10. Give an example of when you could use this questioning approach in your own life:

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

📊 Assessment Rubric

Question Formulation (4 points):

Evidence Analysis (4 points):

🏠 Extension Activities

🔗 Curriculum Connections