SCHOOL WORKSHOPS
The Pottery offers clay-based workshops for students in Junior Kindergarten through to Grade 8 that are tied to the Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum Guides. We have a memorandum of understanding with the Toronto District School Board, however we work with all GTA school boards.
The workshop prices include setup and cleanup in the class, materials, firing (hardening of the clay) and delivery of the finished pottery within three weeks of the workshop. Please email paul@thepottery.ca to sign up for a workshop at your school.
GRADE SPECIFIC PROJECTS
JUNIOR AND SENIOR KINDERGARTEN
Candle Holder
Duration 1 hour
Students will pinch a shallow saucer and add a candle holder tube and handle to create a functioning candle holder. They will then paint their piece.
Free Exploration
Duration 1 hour
Students will explore clay by producing any object they desire. Joining and molding techniques will be discussed and creativity is encouraged.
GRADE ONE
Relationship Plate
Duration 1.5 to 2 hours
Students will create a platter using a variety of pottery techniques. The platter will then be decorated with pictures of important people in the student’s life.
Event Plaque
Duration 1 to 1.5 hours
Students will roll out clay, cut it into an oval shape and will add relief and impressed textures. They will also use cut-out letters to mask a name on their plaque. Coloured paints will then be applied over the masked area and the paper removed to show the name underneath, surrounded by the coloured paint. Examples include DAD for father’s day, MOM for mother’s day etc.
GRADE TWO
Mask Making
Duration 2 to 3 hours
An exploration of different cultural characters will be facilitated by the creation of clay theater masks. Some of the theatrical masks examined will be from Japanese Noh theater, Greek theater, North-West Coast Indigenous dance masks and African dance masks.
Toad House
Duration 1 to 2 hours
We will explore how animals respond to their environment and how humans can help or harm living things. We will use the toad house to explore the requirements of reptiles and amphibians for survival.
GRADE THREE
Critical Issue-Food
Duration 2 to 3 hours
For European settlers and First Nations people alike, collecting and storing food was critical for survival. This workshop will explore the issue of food storage and preparation from both a European and First Nations standpoint. Students will create vessels to deal with specific storage needs.
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Facial Abstract
Duration 2 to 3 hours
Every human face has the same basic symmetry. This workshop asks the students to make a mask that reorganizes the human face into an abstract/grotesque. It challenges the student to create outside of their comfort zone in a fun way.
GRADE FOUR
Toad House
Duration 1 to 2 hours
We will explore how animals respond to their environment and how humans can help or harm living things. We will use the toad house to explore the requirements of reptiles and amphibians for survival.
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Green Man Mask
Duration: 2 to 2.5 hours
In most times and cultures, a society's understanding of nature was critical to its survival. In medieval Europe, the Green Man was a symbol of the cycle of birth, growth, maturity, death, and rebirth. The masks and sculptures of this period show a human face augmented with leaves and vines covering all or most of the face. For our masks we will broaden the concept to incorporate any natural element with the human face such as insects, water, fire, and flowers.
GRADE FIVE
Storage Dilemma
Duration 2 hours
Many early civilizations thrived and grew as a result of the ability to produce and store agricultural surplus. In all of these cultures, clay vessels became a primary tool for food storage. Students will explore the developments in food storage while producing their own clay storage vessel. They will explore different methods traditionally used to produce pottery including coil, flat coil, paddling, and pinching.
Death and the Afterlife
Duration 1.5 to 2.5 hours
Students will explore the differing beliefs about death and the afterlife in several ancient civilizations. We will also examine the ceremonies connected with death and the preparation of the deceased for the afterlife. Workshop participants will create a clay funerary object, either an Egyptian canopic jar or burial mask.
GRADE SIX
Food Storage
Duration 1.5 to 2.5 hours
First Nations people across Canada had to deal with varying natural environments. This resulted in a variety of methods for food gathering, growing and storage. We will briefly explore various methods and then focus on Southern Ontario Huron and Iroquois pottery construction and decorative techniques.
Facial Abstract
Duration 2 to 3 hours
Every human face has the same basic symmetry. This workshop asks the students to make a mask that reorganizes the human face into an abstract/grotesque. It challenges the student to create outside of their comfort zone in a fun way.
GRADE SEVEN AND EIGHT
Workshops meeting the grade seven and eight curriculum requirements can be discussed with any interested teachers.
SCHOOL-WIDE PROJECTS
Candle Holder
Students make and paint a candleholder similar to those used by the early European settlers.
​First Nations inspired food storage pot
Students will use the pinch pot technique with added coil and textural decoration to produce a small version of these versatile cooking and storage vessels.
Gargoyle
A small sculpture exploring these fascinating creatures.
PRICING
SINGLE OR MULTI-CLASS WORKSHOPS
One hour workshops cost $125 plus HST and $2.50 per student materials fee.
Please note you must book a minimum of three one-hour workshops on the same day.
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Half-day workshops cost $250 plus HST and $4.50 per student materials fee. If two workshops are booked on the same day, the cost per workshop falls to $210 plus HST and $4.50 per student materials fee.
Please note JK/SK workshops are one hour only.
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Special price: $200 plus HST per workshop and $3.50 per student materials fee if a school purchases a total of six half-day workshops to be conducted two per day for three consecutive days.
SCHOOL-WIDE OR LARGE GROUP WORKSHOP
The following workshops can be offered to groups of up to 60 students at a time. At least two staff members must be present to help during the workshops. Each workshop takes approximately 1 ¼ hours to conduct and costs $2.00 per student for materials plus the following workshop fees:
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One workshop per day $300.00
Two workshops per day $550.00
Three workshops per day $775.00​