The United States Mint released the New Mexico quarter on April 7, 2008. New Mexico is the forty-seventh state to be honored as a part of the 50 State Quarters® Program and the second quarter of the 2008 series.
The New Mexico quarter features an outline of the state with a topographical texture. The location of the capital city, Santa Fe, is marked by a Zia sun symbol. The quarter also features the state nickname "The Land of Enchantment".
Teachers, below you will find several activities and links that will bring the features of this coin and the excitement of the New Mexico "State Quarter Day" into your classroom!
New Mexico Quarter
Learn more about the latest quarter.
50 State Quarters Program
Find out more about this program that honors every state in America!
50 State Quarters Program Lesson Plans
The 50 State Quarters Program lesson plans are ready for you to use in your classroom! Take a look at the lessons created specifically to celebrate the New Mexico quarter: All About Nicknames (K–1), It's All in the Pattern (2–3), and Sunny Symbols (4–6)! After that, be sure to check out the rest of the state-specific plans, FREE to download in sets designed specifically for grades K and 1, 2 and 3, and 4 through 6.
Are you a secondary school teacher interested in introducing the 50 State Quarters Program into your curriculum? Well, now you can! Our 50 State Quarters Program lesson plans for grades 7 through 12 are also written by educators. To download these FREE plans, visit the 50 State Quarters Program Lesson Plans today!
State Quarter Day Classroom Activities
Here are some fun ways to infuse your curriculum with activities that celebrate the arrival of the newest quarter in circulation!
Also, take a trip to Coin Collector's Workshop! Here, you can enroll in Inspector Collector's Coin Course, or solve coin mysteries in Get a Clue About Collecting. You can even learn How To Share Your Hobby!
"Seeing the States" WebQuest
What's so great about the United States? Let your students find out for themselves as they explore the coins in the 50 State Quarters Program to complete this fun Internet research project, the "Seeing the States" WebQuest.
Connected Coins and Medals
The New Mexico quarter features an outline of the state with a topographical texture. The location of the capital city, Santa Fe, is marked by a Zia sun symbol. The quarter also features the state nickname "The Land of Enchantment." Learn more about some other quarters that feature state outlines and nicknames. Can your students figure out how some of these states got their nicknames?
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2005 Minnesota Quarter: Like the New Mexico quarter, the Minnesota features the outline of the state and the state nickname. Minnesota is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes." Can your students figure out why? Learn more about the topography and history of Minnesota and how it earned its nickname. |
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2004 Texas Quarter: Learn more about New Mexic's neighbor to the west, Texas. The Texas quarter features a state outline and a unique symbol just as the New Mexico quarter does. Have your students explore the stat's history and learn how it earned the nickname "The Lone Star State." |
Our Foreign Friends
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The coins produced for the 50 State Quarters Program share much in common with the European currency, the euro. With your students, visit the interactive cartoon, Coins of the World, to see how these two programs are similar (here's a hint: look at the backs of euros from different countries, and then look at their fronts). |
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Quarter Games
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Your students can test their knowledge of United States geography and the 50 State Quarters Program, all while helping Bill the Mint Buffalo earn enough money to plan a cross-country trip. |
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Here's a challenge for your students! Put all the pieces of the New Mexico quarter back together—in three minutes or less! |
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Are your students budding artists? Let them try their hands at painting the New Mexico quarter. What color will New Mexico be? Green, yellow, purple? |
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Here's a word search all about quarters and other coins. Can your students find all the words on each list? |
A Coinage Cartoon
Teachers' Network
Teachers, if we've piqued your interest with the activities above, please sign up for the Teachers' Network. As a member, you can receive information about all of the new educational resources that become available from the United States Mint!
