Curriculum-based School and Group Tours

All Group Tours must be Pre-Booked.

The Claybank Brick Plant Historical Society offers tours of this National Historical Site. Frozen in time, this site gives an insight into early 20th century industrialism. The visitor experiences, first hand, a labour intensive operation just as it existed in 1912.

School Guided Tours -- $4.00 per person with a school group of 15 or more students.

May include main plant area, bunkhouse, offices, brick sheds, kilns and more. Operations are explained in an interesting and informative fashion.

Length: 1 hour plus


Hands On Programming (prices valid to June 30 2016):
 

  Prairie Pies Program

Eco-Educational Program

SaskTel Ancient Pottery Program

Hand Molders Program (Temporarily suspended)

School groups, Girl Guides, Boy Scouts or other groups of up to 30.

$7.00 per child for one hands-on program  or double up two programs for $10.00 per child and spend the rest of the day hiking in the Massold Clay Canyons!

Teachers and chaperons must accompany and be responsible for groups at all times.
Please note Additional Resources (scroll down to the bottom of this page).

A truly unique hands-on heritage experience - Claybank is a fascinating time warp in a digital world. There is no better way to learn than by enjoying yourself.
Hands-on education - a child will retain more information if learning is fun!

Warning: there is absolutely no open fires and no smoking allowed.  If you plan to hike for any length of time please encourage your group to dress properly!!    You may encounter cactus, wood ticks, mosquitoes, mud etc. Water is for sale in the Giftshop.

Contact: If you need more info or wish to book a program please call Pat (306) 868-4474 or email   claybanktours@gmail.com







Prairie Pies

Making and Baking Program
   pie prog gif    

Goal: to facilitate the retention of knowledge about brick making we offer the comparison of two similar production methods that result in two very different products. The program participants will always remember the similarities of the two processes: 'Brick Making' and ‘baking from scratch’. This program also incorporates a tour of the Claybank Brick Plant.

History: Room and board was available for many years in the historic Bunk House (Visitor Centre) for up to 40 men. The 2 cooks that fed the men prepared most meals from scratch. Pies were on the menu for dessert every day, all day, there was rarely any deviation - only all kinds of pie.


During this program each participant will experience what it was like to work in the 'bunk house kitchen' by taking them through the process of baking a 4” Saskatoon Berry pie from scratch.

We want to show the participants the old ways and the interesting connection between baking foods and baking bricks. In both processes we mix ingredients, make sure everything is added in proper proportions, knead, shape, and bake.

The baked goods that the participants have prepared with their own hands will be packaged for take home.

Program Cost: $7 per child and adequate teacher/parent supervision must accompany the groups (please ask for details).
Timelines: approximately 2 hours, pies are 4+" diameter with prepared Saskatoon Berry filling.
Special requests: will be entertained and every effort will be made to accommodate your needs or preferences.
Contact: If you need more info or wish to book a program please call Pat (306) 868-4474 or email   email   claybanktours@gmail.com




Eco-Education Program


kids mcc       Close up kids MCC       Child on Eco ed prog

Goal: This thought provoking program allows children to look at their heritage and the environment in a different way and encourages them to think about their own accountability in those areas. The program strives to facilitate a greater appreciation of nature, help the children to improve their observation skills, and give them the opportunity to learn from the natural world. By using this program the teacher can supplement and reinforce lessons in ecology, social studies, science, geology, technology, eco-systems, land use, mining, birding, native history, and local history.

Activity: Upon arrival at the Claybank Brick Plant Site the children are briefed on safety, program orientation, and divided into groups of 5 to 10 persons. Each group will take a back pack containing a digital camera, a walkie-talkie, a Massold Clay Canyons map featuring points of interest.

Groups can use their maps to decide on a plan of action and communicate with each other using the walkie-talkies provided. Setting out on foot, with the discreet supervision of teachers or parents, the children's classroom of the day will be the beautiful 250 acre Massold Clay Canyons and Clay Pits area adjacent to the Brick Plant Site. With an objective to experience as much of the Massold Clay Canyons as possible; be it flora, fauna, geology, historic features etc. or to just get out there and have fun.

After the adventure the digital photos taken on the program’s cameras will be organized and uploaded to an online album for participants use, show, and share.

Note: all copyright of photos remain with the Claybank Brick Plant Historical Society and may be used in promotion of the site and/or its programming.

Included with this program is the option of taking a 45 minute Brick Plant tour, either upon arrival or if time allows prior to departure. The tour of this National Historic Site and brick making process gives the children an insight into what it was like to live and work in the early 1900's and gives them interaction with our province's industrial heritage.

Program Cost: $7 per child with adequate teacher/parent supervision (please ask for details).
Timelines: approximately 2 -3 hours+
Special requests: will be entertained and every effort will be made to accommodate your needs or preferences.
Contact: If you need more info or wish to book a program please call Pat (306) 868-4474 or email   claybanktours@gmail.com




Ancient Pottery Program

Sponsored by SaskTel

Goal: The Clay deposits located in the Massold Clay Canyons adjacent to the Brick Plant have a long history. The Clay deposits were used far before the Brick Plant ever was thought of.  This program facilitates the appreciation and better understanding of two differing cultures and their methods in utilizing the same resource. By comparing the modern clay uses and the legends of the native people that lived on the prairies we show the progress of time and industry.

History: First Nations people that had access to the clay used it for many purposes; medicinally for casting sprains or as mud packs for sore muscles after hunting. They also used it in rituals - they brought mineral water from the Moose Jaw area and mixed it with the clay, this mixture held great healing and special powers. They allowed their children to play in the rain puddles that formed in the clay deposits area, it is said that while the children played the clay captured their laughter and this empowered the clay even more. Legend has it that you can and still can hear the children's laughter echoing in the hills. They also used the clay to make small toys such as marbles or figures and to make crude clay pots by molding the clay around stones or doing coil works.

During this mainly indoor program the participants will make their own item, the old way, using round rocks as tools to grind the clay to a powder. The clay will be mixed with water to the proper consistence. Finally, they create their piece be it a crude pot, a figure or a toy. The item will be packaged and taken back to the school/home for display and discussion. This program also includes a tour of the Brick Plant and the brick making process in order for the children to find similarities in use and process and appreciate both methods of production.

Program Cost: $7 per child and adequate teacher/parent supervision must accompany the groups (please ask for details).
Timelines: approximately 2 hours
Special requests: will be entertained and every effort will be made to accommodate your needs or preferences.
Contact: If you need more info or wish to book a program please call Pat (306) 868-4474 or email  claybanktours@gmail.com


Hand Molders Program     Suspended for the season

Goal: The Claybank Brick Plant relied on intense physical labour in order to produce the high quality brick that it became known for. In addition to a tour of the brick making process we offer an activity stop for a hands-on heritage experience. In our world of digital automation the Hand Mold shop experience reinforces the reality of the intense physical labour and quality workmanship required of the men at the Plant. The activities offered in this program will test the children's brick making abilities.

History: The men that worked in the Hand Mold shop worked for pennies a brick. They were paid in relationship to the amount of brick they produced. There was a quota of 8 units (a certain number of bricks) per day from each man but the men had the opportunity to make an additional 3 unit if they were quick enough. The added income realized by the production of these extra units was welcomed by the hand molders and their families.

 The participant group sets out to retrace the brick making process from Clay to Kiln, arriving at the historic Hand Mold shop children will divide into groups. By utilizing ¼ size replicas of original hand molds the participants will produce bricks. They will follow the same brick making techniques used by the Hand molders for decades.

History: They put themselves in the Hand molders 'shoes' - they are now the bread winner for a family in the early 1900's. Theyare warned that the brick must be perfect or it will be rejected by management via the 'broom stick test' and they may not be paid for that brick. This activity, although very enjoyable, fosters a greater appreciation of the hardships our ancestors were faced with.

Program Cost: $7 per child and adequate teacher/parent supervision must accompany the groups (please ask for details).
Timelines: approximately 2 hours
Special requests: will be entertained and every effort will be made to accommodate your needs or preferences
Theme: The men that worked in this area worked for pennies a brick. They were strong, fast and precise.
Contact: If you need more info or wish to book a program please call Pat (306) 868-4474 or email   email  claybanktours@gmail.com


Additional Resources:

Included with group tours is access to the adjacent Massold Clay Canyons area. These 250+ acres include the historic Clay Pits, clay canyon bad lands, rolling hills of virgin prairie, wooded areas, and breath taking vistas of the farm lands and villages below. Self-guided hiking is encouraged in this diverse landscape.

Programming at the Claybank Brick Plant National Historic Site, access to the Massold Clay Canyons, and Clay Pits area falls into the Kindergarten, elementary grades and high school curriculums in the following subjects and lesson units -- Science: earth, plants, matter, energy, fossils, rocks, resources, earthquakes, eco-systems, Saskatchewan, environment -- Social Studies: heritage, interdependence, identity, historical geology, resources, change, culture, earth's crust - ELA: historical, environmental, courageous spirits, change, social - Health: community and other relationships.

We encourage you to book your favorite tour early in order to avoid disappointment.



encourage you to book your favorite tour early in order to avoid disappointment.