Please note: Spring 2026 programming is full. Be notified when summer and fall registrations open, or be notified of any spring cancellations.
Early childhood (PreK-2)
Age: PreK-2nd grade
Time for program: 3 hours
Max students allowed: 75
Every community has people who support its everyday function and goals, and CSU Spur is no different. In this exploratory program, young learners will explore the careers of community helpers and how they support their communities. Students will learn about the work of veterinarians, farmers, chefs, water scientists, and horse care specialists, and how these people are special to both the CSU Spur and Colorado communities.
Age: PreK-2nd grade
Time for program: 2-2.5 hours
Max students allowed: 50
In this educational exploration of animal care, students will meet Denver the Dog to learn the basics of animal anatomy, discover how CSU Spur’s on-site horses support human health, design their own horse obstacle course, and get hands-on experience in the mock veterinary clinic by caring for stuffed animal patients. Students will also have the chance to explore interactive exhibits in Vida, the Spur building focused on animal and human health!
Age: PreK-1st grade
Time for program: 1.5-2 hours
Max students allowed: 50
Explore Terra, CSU Spur’s building focused on agricultural and food systems, and learn how pollinators support plant growth through hands-on and interactive programs. Students will discover how bees pollinate plants with an interactive game, explore how plants grow on rooftops, and dive into exhibits focused on food, farming, and sustainable agriculture.
Age: 1st and 2nd grade
Time for program: 3 hours
Max students allowed: 60
In this program, students will explore the Terra building, CSU Spur’s hub for agriculture, plants, and the environment. Tour the greenhouse and green roof to see how plants grow in different spaces, learn about the parts of a plant and what each part does, and discover why pollinators are important through fun, hands-on activities.
Age: PreK-1st grade
Time for program: 2-2.5 hours
Max students allowed: 50
Have you ever wondered about fish? How do they live in water? How can we keep fish pets healthy? This interactive, artistic, and fun fish exploration will answer your questions about fish. See and learn about the trout that call CSU Spur and the South Platte River home while engaging with interactive exhibits in the Hydro building.
Elementary school
Age: 3rd and 4th grade
Time for program: 3.5 hours
Max students allowed: 100
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to help animals, grow plants, or invent something new? In this hands-on experience, students will get a fun introduction to real jobs in science and animal care across the CSU Spur campus. With help from CSU Spur’s education team, students will meet the people who take care of animals, discover where food comes from and how products are created, and learn how teamwork and curiosity help these professionals succeed.
Age: 3rd-5th grade
Time for program: 2.5-3 hours
Max students allowed: 50
What does it take to keep animals happy and healthy? In this hands-on program, students will discover the important role veterinarians play in caring for pets, learn about what it means to be a responsible pet owner, and explore the Spur campus to see how horses are cared for and why animal well-being matters.
Age: 3rd-5th grade
Time for program: 2.5-3 hours
Max students allowed: 40
Horses and humans have been interconnected for thousands of years. In this program, students will explore the Temple Grandin Equine Center, where horses are trained to help people via equine-assisted services. They’ll observe these services in action, make a special treat for the horses, and design an obstacle course to see how horses support human health.
*Please be aware that students will not directly engage with horses in this program.
Age: 3rd-5th grade
Time for program: 3 hours
Max students allowed: 75
What’s the difference between flavor and taste, and who creates the food products we eat? In this hands-on food science program, students will explore how scientists use the five senses to develop new products, learn how hydroponic systems grow food, and discover how food is processed from farm to table in a sustainable system. Along the way, students will think like food scientists as they engage their senses and creativity and follow the sustainable food system from growth to consumption!
Age: 3rd-5th grade
Time for program: 3 hours
Max students allowed: 75
What does it take to grow healthy food in a changing world? In this program, students will explore how plants grow in unique settings like greenhouses and hydroponic systems, investigate the importance of soil health, and discover how farmers and scientists grow food sustainably in urban environments. They will also engage with CAM’s Ag Academy, which is committed to improving relationships in agriculture, and learn how agriculture connects to the environment, technology, and everyday life.
Age: 3rd-5th grade
Time for program: 3.5 hours
Max students allowed: 45
In this water-focused program, students will explore water as a central theme in the stories we have told (and continue to tell) throughout history. Through storytelling and play, students will investigate and share how water has impacted their lives. At the stream table, students will examine how water shapes the land and learn how humans can respect and protect water as a vital natural resource.
Middle school
Age: 5th and 6th grade
Time for program: 3.5 hours
Max students allowed: 100
Curious about how veterinarians, scientists, or researchers do their jobs every day? Deep dive into career exploration and investigate how professionals at CSU Spur use science, technology, and creative thinking to solve real-world problems. Students will interact with experts, explore career pathways, and learn how different interests and skills can shape their own future paths.
Age: 7th and 8th grade
Time for program: 3.5 hours
Max students allowed: 100
What does it take to become a veterinarian, food scientist, or environmental researcher? Middle school students will take a closer look at the wide range of careers available at CSU Spur and the real-world challenges these professionals work to solve. Through guided exploration and interactive experiences, students will connect academic subjects to career paths, hear firsthand from experts, and think about the education and skills needed for their own future goals.
Age: 6th-8th grade
Time for program: 3 hours
Max students allowed: 75
In this middle school program, students will learn how food moves from farm to table. Students will investigate how far it takes for a meal to reach our plates, the innovative ways to grow food within an urban population, and how to successfully market a new food product.
Age: 6th-8th grade
Time for program: 3 hours
Max students allowed: 60
In this vet medicine program, learn about careers in veterinary medicine and how professionals care for animals. Students will use virtual reality to explore animal anatomy, hear from experts about veterinary careers, and tour the Temple Grandin Equine Center to see equine-assisted services in action. They’ll also spend time exploring interactive exhibits in the Vida building.
Age: 6th-8th grade
Time for program: 2.5-3 hours
Max students allowed: 60
In this program, students will focus their exploration on agriculture research and learn how scientists explore soil, hear how specialists design a green roof, and engage in problem-based learning with CAM’s Ag Academy. They will also explore exhibits in the Terra building to learn about research occurring across the CSU system.
Age: 6th-8th grade
Time for program: 3.5 hours
Max students allowed: 60
Did you know that Colorado is where rivers are born? In this fun and interactive program, students will explore why water is so special in Colorado and why it matters to people, animals, and the environment. Students will discover how Colorado’s mountains, weather, and geography make our water different from other places, and how to share and protect this important resource.
High school
Age: 9th-12th grade
Time for program: 3.5 hours
Max students allowed: 100
Interested in careers in animal health, food systems, or environmental science? High school students will engage in an immersive exploration of career pathways at CSU Spur, interacting with veterinarians, researchers, and professionals who are tackling today’s global challenges. This experience emphasizes career readiness, post-secondary planning, and real-world applications of science and innovation, helping students identify potential paths based on their interests and future aspirations.
Age: 9th-12th grade
Time for program: 2.5 hours
Max students allowed: 30
Students will explore the story of a cucumber, from how it starts its life in a year-round greenhouse to how it becomes a pickle in the CSU Spur Teaching Kitchen. Students will engage in a sensory taste test and learn about the careers of a sensory scientist, nutritionist, and plant researcher.
*Waivers and additional restrictions apply as students will be working in the Teaching Kitchen.
Age: 9th-12th grade
Time for program: 2.5-3 hours
Max students allowed: 30
Students will get messy in this program as they dig into the role of soil scientists and how soil tells a story. Learners will investigate the health of soil after a forest fire, learn how to distinguish types of soil by touch, and observe the Terra plant diagnostics laboratory where plant detectives discover what is ailing plants.
Age: 9th-12th grade
Time for program: 3.5 hours
Max students allowed: 45
Students will dive into the wide world of water through hands-on exploration and scientific investigation. They’ll learn how to assess water quality using test kits by identifying macroinvertebrates. Working alongside professionals from places like Denver Water, students will design their own water filters and explore real-world challenges like testing the South Platte River and designing riparian cities. Along the way, they’ll uncover the essential careers connected to water science and sustainability.
Age: 9th-12th grade
Time for program: 3 hours
Max students allowed: 45
Explore various facets of careers in veterinary medicine by observing live surgery at the Humane Colorado observation area, immersing in the veterinary virtual reality program, and designing ways to support equine health at our equine sports medicine and rehabilitation facility. Students will engage with veterinary experts and consider how humans support animal health.
Age: 9th-12th grade
Time for program: 3 hours
Max students allowed: 30
Explore the fascinating world of human health through observations at both the Humane Colorado surgical observation area and the Temple Grandin Equine Center. Students will learn how veterinary medicine can shed light on human health, dive into how horses can be used for therapy, and experience a human anatomy demonstration in the virtual reality classroom.
Age: 9th-12th grade
Time for program: 3.5 hours
Max students allowed: 60
Discover how sustainability shapes the CSU Spur campus by touring the Central Utility Plant. Students will see how energy and water systems power the campus efficiently, explore the Water Technology Acceleration Platform (a hub for testing and accelerating next-generation water treatment technologies using real-world water sources), and discuss real-world actions they can take to make a sustainable impact in their own community.
