📚 Unit Plans → 🌍 Hamilton Zoo Maths Unit | Position & Orientation Years 6-8 → 📄 Hamilton Zoo Grid Navigation
Years 6–8 Pāngarau / Mathematics
🪶 Mātauranga Māori — handoff required (te reo accuracy). This page previously used Whakatōhea as a general term; that false usage has been removed rather than replaced, and the correct kupu remains a kaiako Māori / kaumātua decision. Te Whakatōhea is an iwi of Ōpōtiki, not a word for a concept, and across this estate the name has been used to stand for at least eight different ideas — listening deeply, belonging, unity, navigation, holistic thinking. The correct kupu for each is a question for kaiako Māori or kaumātua; substituting a guessed word would repeat the original error with better spelling. Ask: what kupu was intended here, and does anything on this page imply a connection to Te Whakatōhea that is not real?

📍 Mission Briefing

Welcome to Hamilton Zoo, rookie navigator! You've just arrived at the car park (Point A) and need to navigate around the zoo using our special topographical grid system. Each small grid square represents 10 metres in real life.

🗺️ How to Read the Topographical Grid

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. The giraffe is at A3, the entrance and car park at F3, the Oasis cafe and toilets at C3, the ponds at D3, and the savannah holding zebra and ostrich at C1.
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 in the car park (3, 2). Look at the map and answer these questions:

  1. What grid coordinates would you write for the main entrance building? ,
  2. The giraffe exhibit appears to be at approximately: ,
  3. Can you spot the wetlands area (blue water)? Write its coordinates: ,

Challenge 2: Planning Your Route

From Point A (3, 2), you want to visit three animals:

Route Planning Table

From To Grid Distance (squares) Real Distance (metres) Walking Time (at 3 km/h)
Car Park A (3, 2) Entrance ( , ) _____ squares _____ metres _____ minutes
Entrance Giraffes ( , ) _____ squares _____ metres _____ minutes
Giraffes Wetlands ( , ) _____ squares _____ metres _____ minutes
  1. Count the grid squares to calculate each distance. Remember: 1 square = 10 metres
  2. What's your total walking distance for this route? _________ metres
  3. How long would this walk take at 3 km/h (50 metres per minute)? _________ minutes

Challenge 3: Finding the Shortest Path

Time for some strategic thinking!

  1. You're at the wetlands and need to get to the tigers quickly. Can you identify where the tigers are and write their coordinates? ,
  2. Count the grid squares for the shortest route: _________ squares = _________ metres
  3. If you walk diagonally across grid squares instead of following the paths, how would this change your distance? Explain your thinking:

Challenge 4: Emergency Rescue Mission!

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

  1. Locate the elephant enclosure on the map. Coordinates: ,
  2. If search teams are positioned at these coordinates, calculate how far each team is from the elephants:
    • Team 1 at (2, 6): _________ metres
    • Team 2 at (8, 4): _________ metres
    • Team 3 at (6, 7): _________ 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:
    • Within 50 metres of the main entrance
    • Not more than 80 metres from the car park
    • Easy for families to reach
  2. Suggest coordinates for the new cafe: ,
  3. Calculate distances to prove your choice:
    • Distance from entrance: _________ metres
    • Distance from car park: _________ metres
  4. Justify your choice:

🌟 Extension Challenge: Advanced Navigation

For students ready for more:

  1. Area Calculation: The main zoo area enclosed by paths covers approximately how many grid squares? _________ squares = _________ square metres
  2. Perimeter Walk: If you walked around the entire zoo boundary, approximately how many metres would you walk? _________
  3. Scale Understanding: If this map was drawn to a scale of 1:1000 instead of 1:1000 (where 1cm = 10m), how would the grid system change?

🤔 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.