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Maths Adventures

Zoo maths quest: data

A story-led junior maths adventure using animal counts, feeding plans and habitat maps to collect results and turn them into charts.

Quick answer

By the end of this page, you will know how to collect animal data from a zoo, sort it, and make simple charts to show what you found.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to:
  • Collect data about animals in a zoo
  • Organise the data into groups
  • Draw simple charts to show the information
  • Understand what the charts tell us about the animals

Why this matters

When you go to the zoo, you see lots of different animals. But how do we know which animals are the most popular, or which ones need the most food? Zookeepers and scientists use maths to collect data – that means counting and recording information – so they can make smart decisions. You can do the same thing at home! Whether you're counting your toys, your pet's treats, or how many friends come to your birthday party, you're collecting data. This is a superpower that helps you understand the world around you.

How it works

Data is just information we collect about something. In a zoo, we might collect data like:
  1. How many zebras are there?
  2. What type of food do giraffes eat?
  3. How many visitors come to see the lions each day?
Once we have this information, we can sort it into groups and then draw charts to show what we found. Let’s imagine you are a zoo detective and you are solving the mystery of the animals in your zoo!

Examples you can see

Let’s go on a Zoo Maths Quest together! Step 1: Collecting data You go to the zoo and start counting animals. You see:
  • 5 lions
  • 3 giraffes
  • 7 zebras
  • 2 pandas
Step 2: Sorting data You put them into a table:
Animal Count
Lion 5
Giraffe 3
Zebra 7
Panda 2
Step 3: Drawing charts Now you can draw a bar chart to show how many of each animal you saw. A bar chart uses bars to show numbers. The taller the bar, the more animals there are. Real-world example: Animal feeding plan Imagine you are helping plan food for the zoo. You count how many animals eat each type of food:
  • Meat – 12 animals
  • Grass – 15 animals
  • Fruit – 8 animals
You can make a chart to show this. This helps the zookeepers know how much food to buy.

Try it as a mini adventure

Zoo Maths Quest: The Great Animal Survey You are a zoo detective! Your mission is to find out which animals are the most popular with visitors and which ones eat the most food. Task 1: Count animals Go to your local park or garden and count how many of these animals you see:
  • 5 birds
  • 3 squirrels
  • 2 rabbits
  • 1 dog
Task 2: Make a table Make a table like this:
Animal Count
Bird 5
Squirrel 3
Rabbit 2
Dog 1
Task 3: Draw a bar chart Draw a bar chart to show how many of each animal you saw. The tallest bar is for the bird, and the shortest is for the dog. Task 4: Share your findings Tell a friend or family member what you learned. Did you see more birds or more squirrels? Why do you think that is?

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Counting the same animal twice.
    Why it happens: You might get excited and lose track.
    Fix: Use a small object like a pebble or sticker to mark each animal as you count it.
  • Mistake: Drawing the bar chart with the wrong size bars.
    Why it happens: You might not match the numbers to the bars.
    Fix: Double-check that each bar shows the correct number by counting the squares or using a ruler.
  • Mistake: Forgetting to label the chart.
    Why it happens: You are so focused on drawing that you forget the labels.
    Fix: Always write the title and labels on your chart. “Animals in the Park” is a good title!

Parent and carer guide

As a parent or carer, you can help your child with this adventure in just 5-10 minutes:
  • Ask your child to count the animals or toys in a room and write them down in a table.
  • Help them draw a simple bar chart using paper and a pencil.
  • Encourage them to explain what their chart shows. For example, “The tallest bar is for birds because there are more birds than any other animal.”
  • Ask questions like, “Which animal did you see the most?” or “How many more birds did you see than squirrels?”
  • Don’t worry if they make mistakes – it’s part of learning!

Practice questions

  1. You counted 6 zebras, 4 giraffes, and 3 elephants. How many animals did you count in total?
    Answer: 13 animals
  2. Which animal had the most count in the zoo survey?
    Answer: Zebra (7)
  3. You drew a bar chart for 3 types of food: meat (12), grass (15), fruit (8). Which food had the most animals eating it?
    Answer: Grass (15)
  4. You saw 5 lions and 7 tigers. How many more tigers did you see than lions?
    Answer: 2 more tigers
  5. What is the total number of animals in this table?
    Animal Count
    Lion 5
    Giraffe 3
    Zebra 7

    Answer: 15 animals

FAQ

What is data?
Data is information we collect about something, like how many animals are in a zoo or how many toys you have.

Why do we use charts?
Charts help us see information more easily. They show us which animals are most common or which foods are most popular.

Can I use this at home?
Yes! You can collect data about your toys, your pet, or even your family’s favourite foods and make charts to show the results.

What is a bar chart?
A bar chart is a way to show information using bars. The taller the bar, the more of that thing there is.

How do I start collecting data?
Start by choosing something to count, like the number of red cars you see or the number of books on a shelf. Then write it down in a table and draw a chart to show it.