Four-lesson sequence
Grid Locations
Use letter-number references to locate and plot animal enclosures.
Directions & Routes
Write compass directions and test whether a partner reaches the intended place.
Distance & Scale
Count squares, compare routes, and convert a grid distance using simple scale.
Design Challenge
Create, test, calculate, and improve a complete visitor route.
Quick Grid Explorer Preview
Activity 1: Find the Animals
Your first mission: Find where each animal lives!
Look at the map carefully. Each animal has its own special area.
Giraffes live at: Letter Number
Elephants live at: Letter Number
Tigers live at: Letter Number
Activity 2: Learning Directions
🧭 Direction Helper
From your START point, which direction do you need to go to reach:
The Giraffes:
The Elephants:
Activity 3: Measuring Distances
Let's count squares to see how far you need to walk!
Put your finger on the START point and count squares to each animal.
| Animal | Squares Right/Left | Squares Up/Down | Total Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giraffes | |||
| Elephants | |||
| Tigers |
Activity 4: Plan Your Perfect Zoo Day
You want to visit all the animals, but in what order?
Look at your "Total Steps" from Activity 3. Which animal takes the fewest steps to reach?
My Zoo Visit Plan:
🥇 First, I'll visit: (because it's closest)
🥈 Second, I'll visit:
🥉 Third, I'll visit:
Activity 5: Become a Zoo Guide!
Congratulations! You're now ready to help other families!
A family asks you: "We want to see giraffes, then get some food, then see elephants. Can you help us?"
🗺️ My Expert Guide Instructions:
1. Giraffes are at:
2. Food area is at:
3. Elephants are at:
My helpful tip:
🎉 Nice work — that's the expert-guide task done!
Here's what this activity practised. Tick the ones you could do again without help:
✅ What You Can Do Now:
- 📍 Find places using grid references
- 🧭 Use compass directions
- 📏 Count squares to measure distance
- 🗺️ Plan efficient routes
- 👥 Help others using maps
🌟 Ready for Next Level:
- 🎯 More complex coordinates
- 📐 Precise measurements
- 🔢 Scale calculations
- 🧮 Mathematical planning
- 🏗️ Design your own maps
Kaiako Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga — Learning Intentions
- Read and use alphanumeric grid references to locate places on a map.
- Apply compass directions (North, South, East, West) to describe and follow routes.
- Count grid squares to estimate distances and plan efficient routes between locations.
- Communicate spatial reasoning clearly, using correct vocabulary and directional language.
Paearu Angitu — Success Criteria
- I can find an animal's location using a grid reference (e.g., C2) and explain how I know.
- I can describe a route using compass directions (e.g., "go North, then East").
- I can count grid squares to compare distances and decide the most efficient path.
- I can give clear directions to help someone else navigate the zoo map.
Teacher Planning Snapshot
- Year level: Years 4–6 | Duration: 4 lessons | NZC Levels 2–3 (Mathematics and Statistics — Geometry)
- Curriculum alignment: Te Mātaiaho Mathematics and Statistics — Phase 2 — Geometry; alphanumeric grid references, compass directions, spatial reasoning, and route planning. Connects to Social Sciences (maps and place) and Science (animal habitats).
- Mātauranga Māori: Kirikiriroa is the place grounding this unit. Use the compass terms raki (north), tonga (south), rāwhiti (east), and hauāuru (west) accurately. Kaitiakitanga can frame responsible visitor decisions, but seek local guidance before adding mana whenua histories or traditional wayfinding knowledge. Whanaungatanga supports collaborative map-reading and route testing.
- Entry support: Begin with a physical walk around the school grounds using a simple grid map before introducing the zoo context. Draw a large grid on the board, or project one, and mark a few enclosures on it together. Teach "across first, then up" as a consistent rule for grid references before the coordinate system.
- On-level: Students work through the 5 activities: locate animals, use compass directions, measure distances, plan a route, and act as expert guides. Partner work encourages mathematical talk.
- Extension: Students design their own zoo map with a 6×6 grid, place animals, and write clues for a partner to solve. Introduce scale: if 1 square = 50 metres, how far is it from giraffes to elephants?
Inclusion and Accessibility
- ESOL / ELL: Direction vocabulary card (English/te reo Māori). Visual compass rose displayed throughout. Partner activities reduce language pressure during map-reading tasks.
- Accessibility: Draw the grid large on the whiteboard or project it so ākonga who need scale can read it from their seat, and hand any ākonga who needs one their own A3 copy of the same grid. Verbal directions are accepted as an alternative to written responses.
- Neurodiverse learners: Clear activity structure with numbered steps. Physical movement activity (walk the grid) supports kinesthetic learners before abstract map tasks. Consistent grid orientation across all five activities reduces cognitive load.
🎯 Curriculum Links | Te Hononga ki te Marautanga
NZC 2007 Mathematics and Statistics — Position and orientation, Levels 2–3.
Create and use simple maps to show position and direction.
Describe different views and pathways from locations on a map.
Use a co-ordinate system or the language of direction and distance to specify locations and describe paths.
📊 Assessment Framework
Formative: grid-reference checks in Lesson 1, partner route test in Lesson 2, and route-distance comparison in Lesson 3.
Summative: in Lesson 4, each learner creates a labelled 6×6 grid, writes and tests a visitor route, calculates its distance, and documents one evidence-based improvement. Open the project brief and rubric →
🔗 Unit Progression & Next Steps
- Grid Locations: read and plot positions.
- Directions & Routes: communicate a path another person can follow.
- Distance & Scale: compare route lengths and convert a simple scale.
- Design Challenge: combine the skills in a created, tested, and improved map.
Bridge: these skills prepare ākonga for coordinate geometry, scale drawing, and digital mapping.
Pedagogical Foundations | Ngā Tūāpou Akoranga
Grid navigation at Y4‑6 turns spatial intuition into mathematical precision. Three researchers explain why this unit’s real-place approach is pedagogically essential, not merely engaging.
→ Explore all theorists at Te Whare Ako — Teaching Theory
📦 Wāhi Ako | Choose Your Delivery Mode
This unit has two lesson sets. Both cover the same curriculum — choose the one that fits your classroom context, or mix lessons from both to suit your ākonga.
Students interact with an on-screen zoo map, using input fields to record grid references and routes. Best for 1:1 device or computer lab sessions.
- → L1: Grid Locations
- → L2: Directions & Routes
- → L3: Distance & Scale
- → L4: Design Challenge (summative)
Teacher-led lessons built on a grid you draw on the board or project — no pre-made map is supplied, and none is needed: a 6×6 lettered-and-numbered grid with a handful of animal enclosures marked is the whole resource. More explicit instruction, richer compass work, and a capstone where ākonga create their own map. Best for whole-class teaching.
- → L1: Alphanumeric Grids
- → L2: Compass Directions
- → L3: Measuring Distances
- → L4: Route Planning
- → L5: Map Maker Capstone