On a crisp, cool morning, several teachers from the Santa Cruz Valley area met with representatives from Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, and the Pimeria Alta Historical Society.  The group gathered to begin work on a thematic, sequential teachers' guide dealing with the encounters of cultures in our area.  We didn't want to write a textbook.  We wanted an alternative; something that would give teachers background, knowledge and resources, and still be open ended.  It was important that it be "teacher friendly."

The ENCOUNTERS teachers' guide offers an alternative to a textbook on Arizona.  It has more information, resources and activities than we, as teachers, could hope to use in any given year.  In addition, the "Encounters Box," which is available in local school libraries, supplements the guide with other activities, books, videos and tapes.  The Units are sequentially ordered to cover all periods of Arizona history, including the O'Odham, missionaries, Apaches, Mexican Americans, and Anglos.  The thematic skills included are:  Arizona history, social studies, environmental science, multicultural education, art, critical thinking, math computation, and drama.  The units can stand alone, but if used sequentially, they will give the teacher and students a solid background on the cultural and environmental impacts the various cultures had on each other and on the Santa Cruz Valley.

For additional information regarding this curriculum, contact Roy Simpson, Interpretive Specialist at Tumacácori National Historical Park.  Or, you may contact him by email at Roy_Simpson@nps.gov .