Programs for schools at the Park include living history presentations, tours, self-guided activities, the Junior Ranger Hunt, and Santa Cruz River walks and activities. 

At local schools (Santa Cruz County and Green Valley area), Rangers and Volunteers offer a Padre Kino Puppet Show, a slide show about "The Santa Cruz River its People, and Environment," and the "Kino-O'odham Encounter" - a classroom play in which students, in costume, reenact the historic meeting between Father Kino and the O'odham Indians in 1691.

The nearby Santa Cruz River is a great place to introduce your students to a desert riparian  ecosystem.  Opportunities exist for tours, river activities, and research.

Teachers' guides and resources are available to help teach about the local history, culture and environment.  The "Encounters Teacher's Resource Box" offers over 100 reference materials including books, videos, and activities.  Four teachers' guides include Encounters historical guide (4th-8th grade) , Life along the Santa Cruz River (K-3rd grade), The Santa Cruz River, its People and Environment (4th-8th grade) and Birds, People and the Santa Cruz River (7th-High School).

Our Junior Ranger Photo Hunt is great for visitors of all ages, families, and school groups.  Under the direction of an adult leader, students in small groups may tour and learn about the Park while looking for items and locations pictured in the Photo Hunt images.  Our Junior Ranger Guide, available upon request, is also packed with activities you may use to enhance your lesson plans.