Title: Simbolos de Nuevo Mexico (Big Book)
Grade Level: K
Content Area(s): Social Studies and Language Arts
Date: March , 2007
Standards & Benchmarks (beyond initials & numerals):
Social Studies
Standard #3: Civics and Government
Definition: Students understand the ideals, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship and
understand the content and history of the founding documents of the United States with
particular emphasis on the United States and New Mexico constitutions and how governments
function at local, state, tribal, and national levels
Benchmark #3-B:
Identify and describe the symbols, icons, songs, traditions, and leaders of local, state, tribal,
and national levels that exemplify ideals
Performance Objective 1: Recognize and name symbols and activities of the United States,
New Mexico, and tribes to include:
New Mexico symbols to include the flag, Smokey Bear, State Bird, chili
Standard #2: Geography
Definition: Students understand how physical, natural, and cultural processes influence where
people live, the ways in which people live, and how societies interact with one another and
their environments
Benchmark #2-A:
Understand the concept of location by using and constructing maps, globes, and toher
geographic tools to identify and derive information about people, places, and environments
Performance Objective 1: Define relative location of items in the physical environment in
terms of over, under, near, far, up, and down
Performance Objective 2: Define personal direction of front, back, left, and right
Language Arts:
Standard #1: Reading and Listening for Comprehension
Definition: Students will apply strategies and skills to comprehend information that is read,
heard, and viewed
Benchmark #1-A: Listen to, read, react to, and retell information
Performance Objective 5: Follow simple oral instructions
Benchmark #1-C: Demonstrate critical thinking skills to comprehend written, spoken, and
visual information
Performance Objective 1: Understand oral and graphic instructions
Performance Objective 4: Relate experiences and observation
Benchmark #1-D: Acquire reading strategies
Performance Objective 2: Demonstrate decoding and word recognition strategies and skills
by:
 Recognizing and naming upper and lower case letters of the alphabet
 Recognizing common words and signs by sights
 Recognizing beginning consonant letter-sound associations in one-syllable words
Performance Objective 4:Attempt to read simple patented text, and predict texts using letter-
sound knowledge and pictures to construct meaning
Standard #2: Writing and Speaking for Expression
Definition: Students will communicate effectively through speaking and writing
Performance Objective 2: Use correct words to name objects or tell actions
Performance Objective 3: Use speaking skills to connect experiences by:
 Taking turns, expressing ideas, and asking questions
Standard #2: Content of Science
Definition II (Life Science): Understand the properties, structures, and processes of living
things and the interdependence of living things and their environments
Benchmark #1: Know that living things have diverse forms, structures, functions, and habitats
Performance Objective 1: Identify major structures of common living organisms
Performance Objective 2: Observe that differences exist among individual living organisms
of the same kind
Benchmark #2: Know that living things have similarities and differences and that living
things change over time
Performance Objective 1: Observe and describe similarities and differences in the
appearance and behavior of living organisms
Performance Objective 2: Observe that living organisms closely resemble their parents
Mathematics:
Standard #2: Algebra
Definition: Students will understand algebraic concepts and applications
Benchmark #3:
Use mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative relationships
Performance Objective 1: Model situations that involve whole numbers using objects or
pictures
Measurable Objectives (3-5):
 Students will become familiar with New Mexico’s symbols by naming, describing, and
identifying them (example: chili, bear, fish, seal, pinon tree, etc.)
 Students will develop word recognition strategies, tracking, and decoding skills by reading
about New Mexico’s symbols and finding symbol vocabulary words by placing hi-liter
tape on them
 Students will be able to describe and make a chili by using art materials
Materials for students:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Big Book Simbolos Nacionales
pointer
hi-liter tape
glue
d) construction paper
f) chili
g) tag board
Materials for teacher:
a) Big Book Simbolos Nacionales
b) pointer
c)hi-liter tape
d) globe or map
e) chili (real)
f)chili (model)
g)glue
h)construction paper
Step by Step Procedures [with Imbedded Pedagogical Strategies] & Timelines
Introduction/Review (10 minutes):
 Ask students about what they know about New Mexico?
 Explain to the students that this week they will be learning about New Mexico
o Explain that New Mexico is a state which is a little piece of the United States of America
 Show students the globe or map to explain more clearly what a state is and where the
state is located at, encourage students to describe the position of the state up, down,
bottom, top (introduce new vocabulary north, south, east, west)
 Show students the big book Simbolos de Nuevo Mexico
 Explain that New Mexico is a special place in the United States that they live in and this state has special
things that are called symbols that represent it
o Ask students if they know what a symbol is
Development (20 minutes):
 Explain that their first task is to look at the book and figure out what they picture is, they will also make
certain movements when the word has been said such as seal, they will try to stamp an imaginary paper,
and for state, they will try to make the shape of the state, this will continue until all of the names of the
symbols have been said. The students will also place hi-liter tape after the teacher has defined the word

Invite the leader of the day to help track the words and help cut the hi-liter tape

Turn the first page and point out the word “map” ask students if they know what this word means, invite
a student to find this word, discuss what the united states is
This will continue until all of the key symbol words of New Mexico have been identified in the book
such as: state, (when students discuss the state, encourage them to say where they think that Vado is, and
if they know where they live? flag, seal, pinon, vegetables, chili, beans (when the beans are discussed,
invite students to come and touch the beans gently with their hand, so that they can understand that a bean is
part of New Mexico’s symbols), bear, flower, yucca, fish, bird roadrunner

Read the story with the students as a whole group. Each time a word that identifyies New Mexico’s
symbol comes up, student need to make a movement as practiced before

Ask students what they liked about the story, and what they remember about it

Explain to the students that they will be making an art activity that relates to one of the symbols that was
in the book
Transition 1: Students will transition from the carpet to their tables



Encourage students to predict what it is going to be, as I take out the chili that I brought from home, and
the model of the chili that the students are going to make
Model how to make the chili to the students (example: placing a few pieces of construction paper that
cover the chili)
Students wok on their chili model
Closure (5 minutes)
Transition 2: Students will transition from their tables to the carpet area
 Ask students to tell me at least one new thing that they learned today. Remind students what state they
are studying by asking them What state they are in? Where their school is? Where they are right now?
 Explain to the students that this is just one of the many things that New Mexico is, re-explain that this
week they will be learning about New Mexico and it’s symbols
Students with disabilities
Multicultural Education
Explain how the lesson plan / lesson plan implementation does not continue discrimination / oppression or
perpetuate the “status quo” mindset with the following “Concepts and Issues to the Development of Teachers in a
Multicultural Education Terrain”:
Concept/Issue
Racism
ESL / SSL /
Bilingual Ed
Concept/Issue
Students might prefer to talk
about one symbol over another
based on their personal
preference
Instruction will be given in
students native language which
is Spanish
Sexism
Not Applicable
Tracking/
Ability Grouping
I will group students
heterogeneously and provide
ample opportunities for
participation
Students will respect each
others opinions and ideas
about different interpretation
of images or symbols
Ageism
Homophobia/
Heterosexism
Not Applicable
Provides ample
opportunities for
interpretation of symbol
understanding and that they
could have different shapes
and sizes and look different
Classism
Not Applicable
Religion
Transitions
Transition 1: Students will transition from the carpet to their tables
Transition 2: Students will transition from their tables to the carpet area
Cross-Disciplinary/Cross-Content Areas
Social Studies: students will locate New Mexico on a map, learn about New Mexicos symbols
Language Arts: Students will acquire literacy skills through vocabulary development, decoding, and recognizing
vocabulary words that relate to New Mexico’s symbols
Math: The New Mexico state Seal has different numbers that I can discuss and explain to the students that 1912
was the year that they adopted the seal and is now being used to stamp important documents in New Mexico
Science: Students will look and be able to discuss different plants such as pinon tree, chili, beans, they will also
look at a real model of a chili, and construct one by using art materials
Evaluation of Objectives:



The students demonstrated mastery of objective one by naming, decribing, and identifying, New Mexico’s
symbols
The students demonstrated mastery of objective two by reading, tracking, and locating words
The students demonstrated mastery of objective three by describing and identifying the chili
Evaluation Data
*Note: For the purpose of this activity, I’m only going to include the number of students
involved in this Evidence of Student Learning Project
Obj
1
# of students achieved
mastery of objective
(high)
# of students projected mastery
of objective with minimal
intervention (medium)
# of students projected
mastery of objective with
intensive intervention (low)
4
1
1
2
3
4
5
4
4
1
1
1
1
KAHLE Reflection
Knowing:
I remember asking students the question about what they thought that New Mexico was. They
couldn’t tell me. A student pointed to the New Mexico flag and told me that that was New
Mexico because they said it every morning and started reciting the New Mexico flag salute. I
remember discussing the vocabulary words with the students and they really liked it when I
explained the New Mexico map and described the United States as a big cake that needs to be
cut. I told students that New Mexico was a big piece of cake because it was the fifth largest
state in the whole United States. Then, I introduced the big piece of the cake or state on the
next page. I asked the students if they knew that besides being a big piece, the state also has a
lot of little names that are cities, and one big name is called a capital. This is where important
people live there such as the governer, and other people that are in charge of making this state
better for us. One student raised up his hand and told me that he lived in New Mexico, when I
asked him what part, he told me that he lived in Cruces. I told if he was sure, and he said yes.
Then I asked the student to tell me why he thought this, he told me that his parents always talk
about Cruces because that’s where they buy their food. I told him that cruces was part of New
Mexico. I then re-stated my question to the rest of the class and asked them where they taught
that they lived in. Another student told me Juarez, I asked him why she taught this and she told
me that her grandmother lives in Juarez. I then showed students and explained that right now
the school that they were at is Vado Elementary. I again told them if they taught that the word
Vado would give them any clues. One student told me oh… I know, we are in Vado. I gave
this student a hi-five. The students gave me a wow for this. I also remember that students
enjoyed the page where I glued the beans to the page in order to describe one of New
Mexico’s state vegetables. The students really enjoyed coming up to the book and touching the
beans one by one. I encouraged students to hi-light the word being discussed by having them
sound out the first part of the word, which was a letter. I also remember that students enjoyed
it when I brought out the chili and explained to them that the chili was the state vegetables.
Students explained that their mom or parents eat a lot of chili. One student told me that his dad
works in the fields picking chili and that he comes home with some sometimes. Their mother
cooks them and they eat some of it. This student doesn’t like chili because it makes his
stomach hurt when he goes to the restroom. The students also enjoyed making their chili out of
construction paper.
Affective:
I feel good about introducing this unit to the students. I really feel that students need to place
more attention to their surroundings and develop vocabulary skills. This is the first step in
learning about the world and the environment in which they live. This is also a way of
understanding and learning about their state, community, and what represents them. Students
really liked touching the beans and making the chili. Some students got really excited when I
showed the model of the chili, and I told them to calm down. Students also liked doing the
different movements of the story when I emphasized the vocabulary words. They liked telling
me what each word meant, even when it wasn’t right.
Happening:
I would like to place the big book at an accessible area where students have easy access to it
when they are done with their work. I feel that students will learn the identification of the
symbols through looking and having ample opportunities with the text. I also enjoyed the fact
that students are eager to learn about their state. They know that New Mexico is the state that
they live in and it has a lot of things that represents it.
Learning:
When making the chili or assembling it, I gave students different options towards whet color
they wanted to glue it with. Some students told me that their chili was red, and got red
construction paper, others told me that their chili was yellow, and got yellow construction
paper, another student told me that their chili was green, but they didn’t want to make a green
chili because it would cover the part of the chili that was on the top. Another student make his
chili blue, I still don’t know why because this student wasn’t able to tell me. He did follow the
instructions on how to glue them.
Examples:
I would like to give students more opportunities to explore the vocabulary of the New
Mexico’s symbols and the place that they live in. I want to place the big book in an accessible
area where students have easy view and access and memorize some of the vocabulary and how
the symbols look like.