New Mexico Facts for Kids
New Mexico was the 47th state to join the union. It became a state on January 6, 1912.
Capital - Santa Fe
Abbreviation - NM
Nickname - Land of Enchantment
Motto - "Crescit eundo" - It grows as it goes
Song - O, Fair New Mexico
Bird - Roadrunner
Flower - Yucca
Insect - Tarantula Hawk Wasp
Area - approximately 121,593 square miles
Learn more about New Mexico
New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom
Lesson plans and activities
New Mexico Primary Sources (Library of Congress)
Selected Library of Congress primary sources with a Teacher's Guide
Fort Union National Monument
The largest 19th century military fort in the region, in use from 1851-1891, forever changed the cultural landscape of the Southwest.
Museum of Indian Arts & Culture
Lesson plans, videos, podcasts, and other online resources for learning about the history and culture of the peoples indigenous to New Mexico.
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail
During the Spanish colonial era, New Mexico was linked to the outside world by a single thoroughfare that descended the Rio Grande Valley from north of Santa Fe, dropped through the natural gate at El Paso, and wended its way via the provinces of the Viceroyalty of New Spain to Mexico City, some twelve hundred miles to the south. Extended by segments throughout the 16th century, it was at one time the longest road in North America.
El Morro National Monument
A reliable waterhole hidden at the base of a sandstone bluff made El Morro a popular campsite for hundreds of years. Here, ancestral Puebloans, Spanish, and American travelers carved over 2,000 signatures, dates, messages, and petroglyphs.
Pecos National Historical Park
Pecos history includes the ancient pueblo of Pecos, Colonial Missions, Santa Fe Trail sites, 20th century ranching, and the site of the Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Chaco Canyon was a major center of Puebloan culture between AD 850 and 1250. The Chacoan sites are part of the homeland of Pueblo Indian peoples of New Mexico, the Hopi Indians of Arizona, and the Navajo Indians of the Southwest. Today the massive buildings of the Ancestral Puebloan people still testify to the organizational and engineering abilities not seen anywhere else in the American Southwest.
White Sands National Monument
The white sand dunes of southern New Mexico shift and settle over the Chihuahuan Desert, covering 275 square miles—the largest gypsum dunefield in the world. White Sands National Park preserves more than half of this oasis, its shallow water supply, and the plants and animals living here. Learn about the people, history, geology and wildlife of the unique desert region.
New Mexico Historic Sites
Twenty K-12 lesson plans for learning about New Mexico historic sites.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Cavern is one of over 300 limestone caves in a fossil reef laid down by an inland sea 250 to 280 million years ago.
Aztec Ruins National Monument
Explore a 900-year old ancestral Pueblo Great House of over 400 masonry rooms, and learn about the people who built and lived there.
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
The Bosque Education Guide is a resource book of background information, activities and curriculum suggestions to help all K-12 educators teach about the Bosque. Bosque is the Spanish word for forest, and this Bosque, in particular, refers to the Middle Rio Grande Valley ecosystem. You can also use their Natural History Brief Guides produced by Museum geologists, as a quick summary and introduction to New Mexico natural history topics. For younger students, you can print out coloring pages based on New Mexico natural history themes.
The 50 States - New Mexico
From TeachersFirst. A comprehensive resource on New Mexico
Mr. Donn.org - New Mexico
Collection of New Mexico resources from Mr. Donn, who offers one of the largest collections of social studies resources available.
50 States.com - New Mexico
Facts & Trivia about New Mexico
RoadsideAmerica.com - New Mexico
Unique tourist attractions and landmarks in New Mexico
Awesome America - New Mexico
Loads of fun facts, photos, and travel information about New Mexico.
New Mexico Map/Quiz Printout
EnchantedLearning.com
NM Resources for Educators from Locales:
Learn more through virtual and in-person New Mexico field trips ...
