School programs

CSU Spur educational programs strive to connect learners to hands-on learning throughout their time on campus. Hands-on experiences will depend on the selected program; some examples are below.

• Hydro: Engage in hands-on activities at the stream table and the mock science lab, use microscopes to investigate water quality in the Hydro Teaching Lab, and explore the outdoors in the Backyard.
• Terra: Interact with a wall-sized touch screen to see CSU’s impact across the globe, whip up pretend farm-to-fork recipes in the mock kitchen, learn about controlled environment agriculture in the rooftop greenhouse, and create recipes in the Ardent Mills Teaching and Culinary Center.
• Vida: Observe live surgery at Humane Colorado, care for pets in the mock vet clinic, experience virtual reality learning, see horses support human health at the Temple Grandin Equine Center, and observe a horse receiving equine sports medicine therapy in an in-ground water treadmill.

CSU Spur hosts field trips for students from preK through college/adult. Each program is designed to accommodate different age groups and can be customized to meet your students’ needs. Some program areas, such as the virtual reality classroom, are only available for students aged 9 or older.

Yes. Our programs align with Next Generation Science Standards and select Colorado State standards. For details on how a specific program aligns with standards, please contact the School Programs Coordinator.

While Spur doesn’t have a formal dress code, we recommend comfortable, closed-toe shoes as students may be walking extensively across campus. Some activities have specific dress requirements, and you will be notified if special attire is needed. For outdoor experiences, students should wear clothing and shoes they don’t mind getting wet or dirty. For kitchen experiences, students must wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, and minimal jewelry.

The CSU Spur education team will provide storage carts for student belongings upon arrival. All belongings will be stored at the front desk by our administration team. Please encourage students to leave valuables or items that could easily be lost at school, as Spur is not responsible for misplaced items.

Yes. Students can enjoy lunch in the Hydro Backyard, which has green space, tables, and picnic seating. In case of inclement weather, indoor lunch spaces will be available for 6th-12th graders, and PreK-5th grade groups will be provided with open floor space and lunch tarps. Chaperone supervision is required throughout the lunch break. Please be mindful that Spur does not have access to microwaves for school groups.

• The minimum number of students required to book a guided field trip is 15.
• The maximum number of students allowed at one time is 120.
• The required student-to-chaperone ratio is 10:1 (students to adults).

You may have more than one chaperone per 10 students, but not fewer. For a group of 120, you should have at least 12 chaperones. Youth under the age of 16 must be chaperoned at all times. All scheduled school groups should stay with their chaperones.

CSU Spur offers field trip experiences Tuesday through Friday, February through December. We do not offer programming in the month of January due to the National Western Stock Show on-site; check out field trip options for January with the NWSS.

CSU Spur offers both morning and afternoon field trip experiences. Arrival times are as follows:

• Morning: Earliest arrival at 10 a.m.
• Afternoon: Earliest arrival at 1 p.m.

The length of the experience depends on your selected program. Programs average between 2-3.5 hours.

There is no cost for CSU Spur field trips. All field trip opportunities are free for students and chaperones.

While schools are responsible for arranging their own transportation, CSU Spur may be able to offer reimbursement for some costs. We offer up to $250 reimbursement per bus for up to two buses per school per school year (for a maximum reimbursement of $500). Reimbursement is subject to availability and is processed on a case-by-case basis. For more information, please complete the bus reimbursement form.

Our education team begins scheduling field trips for the fall term on August 1 and for the spring term on December 1. We prioritize partner organizations first, followed by public registration. Priority is given to groups based on location, Title I eligibility, and alignment with Spur’s mission. Due to our partnership with the National Western Stock Show, we do not schedule guided programs during the month of January.

Yes. Spur requires a permission slip for students to participate in any water-based, food-based, or animal-based programs. If one or more of your students does not have a signed permission slip, they may still attend the field trip, but will not be able to participate in these program areas.

We ask for cancellations at least two weeks in advance, when possible. However, we understand that emergencies happen, and there is no penalty for last-minute cancellations. Please be aware that, in the event you must cancel, our education team will try to reschedule your group, but we cannot guarantee a new field trip date for the current school year.

Students should be dropped off in the loading zone in front of the Vida building and picked up in the loading zone in front of the Hydro building.

Buses should park in the guest parking lot, located north of the Vida building. If buses are parked incorrectly, they will be asked to relocate.

You may bring your students without a reservation, but please be aware that program areas like the stream table, virtual reality classroom, and greenhouse may not be available as scheduled groups will have priority access. If you choose to self-guide, we still require a 10:1 student-to-chaperone ratio, and we recommend keeping the group size between 15-20 students. If you are planning to self-guide with a group, please email [email protected] so we can best support your experience on-site.

If you are unable to secure a field trip reservation, CSU Spur partners with local organizations that offer in-person engagement in your classroom. More information coming soon.

Students will not be able to pet or engage with animals directly at CSU Spur. However, they can observe animals during surgical procedures at Humane Colorado or in action at the Temple Grandin Equine Center and Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center.

CSU Spur hosts a homeschool day twice a year in the spring and fall, inviting up to 350 homeschoolers to engage in exciting activities. Dates for these events are posted on the CSU Spur website, so be sure to check for updates. We do not book field trips for homeschool groups with fewer than 15 students. Homeschool guided group experiences are available from 1-3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Yes, CSU Spur is able to provide Spanish-English language support upon request. Please request language support when registering for your field trip by noting it in the registration form. For other language interpretation, please consider bringing your own language support. For additional questions, please email [email protected].