Unit Overview | Tirohanga Whānui
Students explore coordinate geometry by navigating Hamilton Zoo on a four-quadrant class grid — a classroom overlay on the zoo map, not the zoo's exact layout — plotting animal locations and calculating scaled distances between exhibits. This hands-on approach connects mathematical concepts to a familiar New Zealand location. This page is the one-page edition of the full five-lesson unit, Hamilton Zoo Adventure: Coordinate Geometry (Years 7–8), which uses the same class grid.
📐 NZ Curriculum Phase 3 Alignment
- Geometry: Locating coordinate points on a coordinate plane
- Geometry: Using grid references to identify regions and plot positions
- Geometry: Interpreting and creating grid maps with directional language
- Measurement: Using scales, compass points, and distance
🎯 Learning Intentions | Whāinga Ako
Coordinates
Students will plot and identify locations using (x,y) coordinates on the Hamilton Zoo map
Grid References
Students will use alphanumeric grid systems to locate and describe animal exhibits
Distance & Direction
Students will calculate distances and describe directions between zoo locations
Scale & Mapping
Students will interpret map scales to calculate real-world distances
📚 Unit Structure | Hoahoa Wāhanga
Zoo Map Orientation
Te Reo: Whakatōngatanga Mahere
- Introduction to Hamilton Zoo layout
- Basic coordinate system setup
- Identifying major landmarks and exhibits
- Creating a simple grid overlay
Animal Location Plotting
Te Reo: Whakatakoto Tauwāhi Kararehe
- Plotting animal locations using coordinates
- Reading coordinates from the zoo map
- Creating a zoo animal coordinate database
- Extending coordinates into all four quadrants (negative x and y values)
Pathways and Navigation
Te Reo: Ngā Ara me te Whakatere
- Planning efficient routes through the zoo
- Using compass directions (N, S, E, W)
- Calculating shortest paths between exhibits
- Understanding grid references for navigation
Distance and Scale
Te Reo: Roa me te Inenga
- Interpreting map scale for Hamilton Zoo
- Converting grid units to metres/kilometres
- Calculating walking distances between animals
- Planning time-efficient zoo visits
Zoo Conservation Project
Te Reo: Kaupapa Tiakitanga Kōpere
- Designing new exhibit locations using coordinates
- Considering animal habitat requirements and spacing
- Creating scaled drawings of proposed exhibits
- Presenting recommendations with mathematical justification
🦁 Key Activities | Ngā Hohenga Matua
Activity 1: Hamilton Zoo Coordinate Hunt
Duration: 40 minutes
Materials: Hamilton Zoo map, coordinate worksheets, coloured pencils
Steps:
- Students receive the Hamilton Zoo map with coordinate grid overlay
- Create coordinate system: Main Entrance at (0,0) as origin, with the grid extending into all four quadrants. This is the class zoo grid shared with the five-lesson edition — a classroom overlay on the zoo map, not the zoo's exact layout
- Identify and plot coordinates for:
- Elephant area: (3, 4)
- Lion enclosure: (4, 3)
- Giraffe exhibit: (4, −2)
- Kiwi nocturnal house: (−3, 4)
- Chimpanzee exhibit: (−3, 5)
- Students check their plotting by describing animal neighbours
- Extension: Plot additional facilities (toilets, food kiosk, playground)
Activity 2: Zoo Navigator Challenge
Duration: 35 minutes
Materials: Zoo map, direction compass, calculator
Navigation Challenges:
- Efficient Zoo Visit: Plan route visiting Elephant → Lion → Giraffe
- Calculate total grid distance
- Identify compass directions for each leg
- Find alternative routes and compare distances
- Emergency Response: Staff need to get from entrance to each animal quickly
- Find shortest path to each major exhibit
- Create emergency access map with coordinates
- Family Fun Day: Design route suitable for families with young children
- Include playground, toilets, and cafe coordinates
- Minimise backtracking and walking distance
Activity 3: Scale and Real Distance
Duration: 45 minutes
Materials: Rulers, calculators, real zoo statistics
Working with Scale 1:2000 (1cm = 20m)
- Distance Calculations:
- Entrance (0,0) to Elephant area (3, 4): grid-path distance 7 units = 140m real distance
- Lion (4, 3) to Giraffe (4, −2): distance 5 units = 100m real distance
- Walking speed 80 m/min (≈4.8 km/h) = time calculations for zoo visits
- Area Calculations:
- Elephant enclosure dimensions on map vs. real area
- Kiwi enclosure area — a 4×3 grid rectangle on the class grid — for conservation planning
- Car park capacity using area measurements
- Practical Applications:
- How long to walk around entire zoo perimeter?
- Fuel costs for zoo maintenance vehicles
- Planning new pathways between exhibits
✅ Assessment Opportunities | Ngā Ahuatanga Aromatawai
📊 Formative Assessment
- Daily coordinate plotting accuracy checks
- Peer verification of animal locations
- Quick compass direction quizzes
- Distance calculation warm-ups
📋 Summative Assessment
- Zoo Guide Creation: Design coordinate-based visitor guide
- Conservation Proposal: Plan new exhibit with mathematical justification
- Navigation Challenge: Timed route planning with accuracy scoring
🎯 Success Criteria
- Accurately plots points using coordinate pairs
- Uses grid references to locate and describe positions
- Calculates distances using scale conversions
- Applies compass directions in navigation tasks
- Solves real-world problems using coordinate geometry
📚 Resources Required | Ngā Rauemi
🗺️ Maps and Visuals
- Hamilton Zoo map with coordinate grid overlay
- Large format classroom display map
- Individual student map copies
- Transparent coordinate grid sheets
- Compass rose reference charts
🧮 Equipment
- Rulers and measuring tools
- Calculators for scale work
- Coloured pencils for plotting
- Magnetic compass for direction work
- Graph paper for extension activities
💻 Digital Resources
- Hamilton Zoo virtual tour videos
- Online mapping tools for comparison
- Coordinate geometry apps/games
- Digital protractors and rulers
- Zoo webcam links for real-time connection
🌿 Cultural Connections
- Māori place names around Hamilton
- Traditional Māori navigation methods
- Conservation values in Māori culture
- Te reo vocabulary for directions and locations
- Local iwi connections to land and animals
🚀 Extensions and Connections | Ngā Whakawhiti
🔗 Cross-Curricular Links
- Science: Animal habitat requirements and spacing
- Social Studies: Hamilton city development and planning
- English: Writing visitor guides and direction instructions
- Technology: Designing digital zoo maps and apps
- Arts: Creating artistic maps with cultural elements
⭐ Challenge Activities
- Design a new section of Hamilton Zoo using coordinate planning
- Calculate the optimal number of pathways for visitor flow
- Compare Hamilton Zoo layout to other famous zoos worldwide
- Use GPS coordinates to connect map work to real technology
- Create a treasure hunt using coordinate clues
🏠 Community Connections
- Virtual or physical field trip to Hamilton Zoo
- Guest speaker: Zoo planner or architect
- Connect with Hamilton Zoo education team
- Community mapping project around school neighbourhood
- Share findings with Hamilton Zoo for feedback
🤔 Reflection Questions | Ngā Pātai Whakaaro
For Students | Mā Ngā Ākonga
- How do coordinates help us describe exact locations?
- What challenges did you face when calculating distances?
- How might coordinate systems be used in real jobs?
- What was surprising about the layout of Hamilton Zoo?
- How could we improve navigation around the zoo?
For Teachers | Mā Ngā Kaiako
- Which coordinate concepts required the most scaffold support?
- How effectively did students connect math to real-world applications?
- What cultural connections resonated most with students?
- How could technology enhance this unit further?
- What evidence shows students can apply coordinate geometry independently?
🎬 Media Anchor (8 mins)
Media Anchor: Reading the coordinate plane (Khan Academy, 6m47)
Real source: Khan Academy, Introduction to the coordinate plane. Runtime 6m47. Replaces a clip that was previously mislabelled here and had no coordinate content.
- Watch how the two axes are set up, and how an ordered pair (x, y) names exactly one point — no guessing, no "about here".
- Khan Academy uses a plain maths grid, not a map. Once the video ends, describe one Hamilton Zoo enclosure as an ordered pair and say what your origin is.
Curriculum alignment
- Measurement — Practices: - Reading, interpreting, and using timetables, charts and results that present information about duration. - Converting times to a given unit (e.g. hours and minutes to minute…
- Algebra — Practices: - Investigating the patterns of triangular numbers, square numbers, and cube numbers, extending the patterns, creating tables of values, and plotting the values on the coordin…
- Algebra — Practices: - Identifying and plotting points in the four quadrants of the coordinate plane, using ordered pairs and values from a table - Using tables, graphs in the coordinate plane, an…
- Measurement — Knowledge: - Reading, interpreting, and using timetables and charts that present information about duration
- Geometry — Practices: - A map’s scale is the ratio between a distance on the map and the corresponding distance in the physical world.
📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
Students will apply mathematical thinking to authentic contexts at Te Kāhui Kararehe o Kirikiriroa (Hamilton Zoo), developing tūhuratanga (statistical inquiry) skills through real data about animal populations, habitats, and conservation. This unit connects maths to kaitiakitanga — our responsibility to care for ngā manu me ngā kararehe of Aotearoa.
Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria
- ✅ I can collect, display, and interpret data about animals using appropriate graphs and statistics.
- ✅ I can apply measurement, geometry, or number skills to solve real problems in a zoo context.
- ✅ I can connect mathematical findings to conservation and kaitiakitanga for native species.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide pre-drawn graph templates and data tables for entry-level access. Offer extension tasks requiring students to design their own statistical investigation using zoo population data and write a conservation recommendation backed by evidence.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach mathematics and conservation vocabulary. Use visual supports — diagrams, models, and real objects where possible. Allow students to explain their mathematical thinking verbally before writing.
Inclusion: Offer manipulatives and calculator access to support all learners. Neurodiverse learners benefit from structured inquiry frameworks, clear success criteria, and choice in how they present mathematical findings. The hands-on, real-world context of zoo mathematics motivates engagement across learning profiles.
Mātauranga Māori lens: Connect to traditional Māori knowledge of kararehe and manu — including the significance of native species like tuatara, kiwi, and kākāpō in tikanga Māori. Use maramataka (traditional Māori lunar calendar) as a context for data and pattern recognition. Frame conservation mathematics as a practical expression of kaitiakitanga.
Prior knowledge: Best used after foundational statistics and measurement skills. Connects well to science ecology units.