📎 Learning Intentions | Ngā Whāinga Ako
Know | Mōhio
- That the Cartesian plane has four quadrants, each with a unique combination of positive/negative x and y values.
- That negative coordinates extend the grid to the left (x) and downward (y).
- That accuracy in reading and writing ordered pairs is essential — one digit error changes the entire location.
Demonstrate | Whakaatu
- Plot at least 10 zoo animal locations as ordered pairs across all four quadrants.
- Correctly identify the quadrant (I, II, III, IV) for any given coordinate pair.
- Read a mystery coordinate from a partner's grid and identify the animal it represents.
📐 Curriculum Alignment
Use a co-ordinate system or the language of direction and distance to specify locations and describe paths.Ministry of Education (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Mathematics and statistics achievement objectives, Level 3.
🌿 Whakatūwhera
He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
"What is the greatest thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people." Every kararehe (animal) at Hamilton Zoo depends on kaitiaki (guardians) who know exactly where each animal lives — precise location knowledge saves lives.
🎤 Kaiako Hook (5 min)
Show a real Hamilton Zoo keeper's daily rounds schedule. Ask: "Why does a keeper need to know exactly where each enclosure is? What happens if coordinates are wrong?" Connect precision to care — both in mathematics and in kaitiakitanga.
🎬 Watch | Mātakitaki
Watch the full clip — 4:20. Source: Math with Mr. J. All four quadrants, including negative coordinates — which is what you need once the zoo grid has an origin in the middle rather than a corner.
📚 Lesson Content
Part 1: Reviewing the Four Quadrants (10 min)
🔑 The Four Quadrants
| Quadrant | x value | y value | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| I (one) | Positive (+) | Positive (+) | Right and Up |
| II (two) | Negative (−) | Positive (+) | Left and Up |
| III (three) | Negative (−) | Negative (−) | Left and Down |
| IV (four) | Positive (+) | Negative (−) | Right and Down |
Part 2: Zoo Animal Plot-and-Record Challenge (25 min)
Using the four-quadrant class zoo grid map (Lesson 1), students work individually to plot the class-grid locations plus extras of their own. For each:
- Find the animal on the zoo map.
- Write its ordered pair (x, y) in the recording table.
- Identify which quadrant it falls in.
- Label the point on their grid with the animal's name in English, adding the te reo Māori name only where the class has confirmed it (see the note below).
Part 3: Mystery Animal Challenge (10 min)
Partners swap grids. One student reads out three coordinate pairs without naming the animal. The other uses the grid to identify: "That's (1, 5) — that must be the Red Panda!"
This oral exercise builds the connection between abstract coordinates and concrete real-world meaning — the essence of mathematical communication.
Part 4: Te Reo Māori Animal Names (5 min)
Introduce the class to the bilingual coordinate database. Treat the te reo column as a research task, not a vocabulary list: for each animal, students check the name in Te Aka Māori Dictionary and mark it confirmed, corrected, or not established. Discuss why getting a name right — rather than simply having one — is what makes naming an act of kaitiakitanga.
✅ Assessment
🎟 Exit Ticket
- Plot these points and name each quadrant: A(4, −2), B(−3, 5), C(−1, −4), D(2, 5).
- The Meerkats are at (−4, −3). What quadrant are they in?
- If you move 3 left and 2 down from the origin, what is your coordinate?
🔑 Kaiako answer key
- A(4, −2) Quadrant IV · B(−3, 5) Quadrant II · C(−1, −4) Quadrant III · D(2, 5) Quadrant I.
- Quadrant III — both values negative.
- (−3, −2).
🧑🏫 Kaiako Notes
- Common Error: Students confusing negative direction. Use the body: "Left hand = negative x; Right hand = positive x."
- Extension: Students choose 3 mystery animals and write clue sentences without using coordinates — peers must work backwards to find the coordinates.