📚 Unit Plans → 🌍 Hamilton Zoo Mathematics → 📄 Hamilton Zoo Grid Navigation
Pāngarau / Mathematics
🪶 Mātauranga Māori — handoff required (te reo accuracy). This page previously used Whakatōhea as a general term for "mission/task". Te Whakatōhea is an iwi of Ōpōtiki, not a word for a concept, so that false gloss has been removed rather than replaced — substituting a guessed word would repeat the original error with better spelling. The question of which kupu was intended (and whether any te reo gloss remaining on this page, e.g. tauwāhi for "coordinates", is accurate) stays open for kaiako Māori or kaumātua.

📍 Mission Briefing

Welcome to Hamilton Zoo, rookie navigator! You've just arrived at the entrance and car park (Point A) and need to navigate around the zoo using the map's grid reference system. Each grid square represents 80 metres in real life.

🗺️ How to Read the Grid Map

Hamilton Zoo grid map: a 6 by 6 grid with columns lettered A to F across the top and rows numbered 1 to 6 down the side. Wetlands are at A2 and the giraffe at A3 on the western side. The savannah holding zebra and ostrich is at C1, with bison at D1. Nyala are at C2, cheetah at D2 and white rhinoceros at E2. The Oasis cafe and toilets are at C3, the ponds at D3, the free-flight aviary at E3, and the entrance and car park at F3. The Sumatran tiger is at B4, the playground at C4, the fishing cat at D4, Weka Walk at E4 and Parrot Court at F4. Fallow deer are at B5, chimpanzees at D5, ring-tailed lemurs at E5 and the rainforest walk at F5. The picnic area is at C6. One grid square represents 80 metres.
Hamilton Zoo grid map — a simplified schematic for classroom use. Positions are approximate, placed from Hamilton Zoo’s published visitor map (November 2025); it is not to scale and not a survey. One grid square = 80 metres. For the current official map see hamiltonzoo.co.nz.

🎯 Navigation Challenges | Ngā Wero Whakatere

Challenge 1: Basic Grid Reading

You're at Point A — the entrance and car park (F3). Look at the map and answer these questions:

  1. What grid reference would you write for the Oasis café and toilets?
  2. The giraffe enclosure is in square:
  3. Can you spot the wetlands (blue water)? Write its grid reference:

Challenge 2: Planning Your Route

From Point A (F3), you want to visit the café, the giraffes, and the wetlands:

Route Planning Table

From To Grid Distance (squares) Real Distance (metres) Walking Time (at 80 m/min)
Entrance & car park (F3) Oasis café (____) _____ squares _____ metres _____ minutes
Oasis café Giraffes (____) _____ squares _____ metres _____ minutes
Giraffes Wetlands (____) _____ squares _____ metres _____ minutes
  1. Count the grid squares to calculate each distance. Remember: 1 square = 80 metres
  2. What's your total walking distance for this route? _________ metres
  3. How long would this walk take at 80 metres per minute (≈4.8 km/h)? _________ minutes

Challenge 3: Finding the Shortest Path

Time for some strategic thinking!

  1. You're at the wetlands (A2) and need to get to the Sumatran tiger quickly. Find the tiger on the map and write its grid reference:
  2. Count the grid squares for the shortest route (across, then down): _________ squares = _________ metres
  3. If you walk diagonally across grid squares instead of following the rows and columns, how would this change your distance? Explain your thinking:

Challenge 4: Emergency Rescue Mission!

A child has gone missing near the chimpanzees! Zoo staff need to coordinate the search.

  1. Locate the chimpanzee enclosure on the map. Grid reference:
  2. If search teams are positioned at these locations, count the grid squares (across, then up or down) to calculate how far each team is from the chimpanzees:
    • Team 1 at the fallow deer (B5): _________ metres
    • Team 2 at the cheetah (D2): _________ metres
    • Team 3 at Parrot Court (F4): _________ metres
  3. Which team should respond first? Explain why:

Challenge 5: Zoo Expansion Planning

The zoo wants to add a new cafe! Help them choose the best location.

  1. The cafe should be:
    • No more than 2 grid squares (160 metres) from the entrance and car park (F3)
    • In a square that is not already an animal enclosure
    • Easy for families to reach
  2. Suggest a grid reference for the new cafe:
  3. Calculate distances to prove your choice:
    • Distance from the entrance and car park (F3): _________ squares = _________ metres
    • Distance from the playground (C4): _________ squares = _________ metres
  4. Justify your choice:

🌟 Extension Challenge: Advanced Navigation

For students ready for more:

  1. Area Calculation: Count the shaded squares (enclosures, water, and visitor areas). How many grid squares do they cover, and what is that area in square metres? (Remember: one square = 80 m × 80 m = 6,400 m².) _________ squares = _________ square metres
  2. Perimeter Walk: The mapped area is a 6 × 6 grid of squares. If you walked right around its boundary, how many metres would you walk? _________
  3. Scale Understanding: On this map one grid square = 80 metres. If a new map of the same zoo used one grid square = 40 metres, what would happen to the number of squares needed — and what could you show in more detail?

🤔 Reflection | Whakaaro

  1. Grid Systems: How do grid references help us communicate exact locations? Give an example from your everyday life where this might be useful.
  2. Scale & Distance: What was challenging about converting grid squares to real distances? How did you check your calculations?
  3. Problem Solving: Which challenge required the most thinking? What strategies did you use?

🎯 Teacher Notes | Ngā Kōrero Kaiako

Learning Objectives Covered:

Differentiation Strategies:

Te Reo Māori Vocabulary:

Curriculum alignment

📋 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.