Student Worksheet

Perimeter And Area Zoo Design - Activity Instructions

You’ve been asked to redesign the enclosures at the Melbourne Zoo. Make sure you have your ruler handy and know how to calculate area and perimeter so the animals have enough space to thrive!

PART A: Designing The Space

Step 1.

On a white piece of paper, you will use your ruler to design a zoo.

Each enclosure has to be a specific size, but there are no restrictions on what shape you make your enclosures. Try experimenting with triangles, and irregular shapes.

These two enclosures have the same perimeter even though they look completely different.

Remember that perimeter is the whole length all the way around a shape, whilst you can find the area by doing the calculation length (top) x width (side). You may need a scrap piece of paper to do some calculations or keep track of your lengths while you draw.

Use the scale 1 cm = 10 m.

A ticket booth at the entrance should have an area 4 m2.
The lion enclosure should have a perimeter of 30 m.
The monkey enclosure should have a perimeter of 24 m.
The panda enclosure should have a perimeter of 26 m.
The hippo enclosure should have an area of 100 m2. There should be a lake in their enclosure that is an area of 20 m2.
The elephant enclosure should have an area of 132 m2.
Any paths between enclosures should be 10 m in width.
Add any other enclosures you like.

Step 2.

When you’ve drawn in all your enclosures, use colours to add grass and pictures of the animals enjoying the new zoo.

PART B: Calculating Distance

Step 1.

Zoo maps often have suggestions of where visitors can walk. Answer the following questions.

What is the distance to walk an entire lap of the zoo and see every animal?
What is the distance from the ticket booth to the furthest animal enclosure?
Using a coloured marker, draw a line around your zoo showing a walk that would take you 1 km.

Taking It Further

Write your own list of instructions for the design of Werribee or Taronga Zoo, and see if your parent/caregiver can follow them to design a great zoo too.

What are some other spaces you could design? Could you draw a map of your house, your local neighbourhood or the supermarket? Don’t forget to add labels so it’s clear what everything is.

Perimeter And Area Zoo Design

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