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Mixed Up Maths, Ep 10: Treasure hunt

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Illustration of treasure map with directional indicator and other landmarks
Mixed Up Maths, Ep 10: Treasure hunt

SUBJECTS:  Maths

YEARS:  F–2


Can you read a map and follow directions?

Well if you can chances are you can help us find the buried treasure.

You'll need to know right from left, east from west, clockwise from anti-clockwise and over from under. Got all that? See you at Buccaneer's Refuge 'me hearties, arrgh'. Remember X marks the spot!


Things to think about

  1. 1.You will need a big space for this. Stand up. Look at your starting point. Follow these directions. Move 10 paces straight ahead, then 10 paces right, 10 paces right again and 10 paces right. Where do you end up? Stand beside a chair. Walk around the chair once in a clockwise direction (the direction the hands move around a clock). Now walk 3 and a half times around the chair in an anti-clockwise direction. On which side of the chair do you end up? Why?
  2. 2.Look at the treasure map. In what direction do you walk from the lighthouse? Which jetty do you turn left into? In which direction does the pirate ship sail? Where do you end up, after walking 2 and a half times, in an anti-clockwise direction around the crocodile pond? What's under the smelly old gum boot?
  3. 3.Hide an item in your garden or inside your home. Work out a starting point and create a set of directions so someone can find the item. Work out how to make sure your measure of steps are the same each time. See if you can throw in directions left and right, east or west, clockwise or anti-clockwise and over or under — just to make it a bit trickier!
  4. 4.Draw a map showing the place where you have hidden an item. First make up a set of directions that lead to your hidden item. Draw a bird's eye view (looking from above) of the area. Add a scale for paces. Add North (N) direction if you using compass bearing such as north, south, east or west. Draw in landmarks such as trees, buildings or paths. Add in your directions. Now give the map to someone. Can they find the hidden item?


Acknowledgements

Produced by ABC Splash in collaboration with Suitcase Murphy.


Production Date: 2014


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2012 (except where otherwise indicated).

Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners.

Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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