Publisher’s Story Summary: Juan Quezada is the premier potter in Mexico. With local materials and the primitive methods of the Casas Grandes people—including using human hair to make brushes and cow manure to feed the flames that fire his pots—Juan creates stunning pots in the traditional style. Each is a work of art unlike any other.

This is the pot that Juan built.
These are the flames so sizzling hot
That flickered and flared and fired the pot,
The beautiful pot that Juan built.

The text is written in the form of "The House That Jack Built" and accompanied by a comprehensive afterword with photos and information about Juan’s technique as well as a history of Mata Ortiz, the northern Mexican village where Juan began and continues to work. This celebratory story tells how Juan’s pioneering work has transformed Mata Ortiz from an impoverished village into a prosperous community of world-renowned artists.

With vibrant illustrations by Caldecott Medal winner David Diaz, THE POT THAT JUAN BUILT is sure to enlighten all who are fascinated by traditional art forms, Mexican culture, and the power of the human spirit to find inspiration from the past.

LESSON: THE POT THAT JUAN BUILT

Lesson Summary: 

Students will learn how Juan Quezada creates stunningly beautiful clay pots out of natural materials. The text is written in the form of “The House That Jack Built,” but is supplemented by descriptions of the entire pottery making process. The work of Juan Quezada has revitalized the Mexican community of Mata Ortiz from an impoverished town to a prosperous village where a community of artists works to produce traditional pottery.

Concept: Productive Resources

Definition:  Productive resources are the natural, capital, and human resources used to produce goods and services.

Comprehension Questions:

What economic good did Juan produce?
Clay pots

What are some of the natural resources that Juan used to produce his clay pots?
Fire, sun, water, clay, human hair for the paintbrush, manure, minerals (manganese and iron oxide), animal bones, stones (The bones and stones were indeed used as tools – capital resources – but they were found naturally and were not produced.)

What are some of the capital resources that Juan used to produce pots?
Shovel, paintbrush, donkey (work animals should be considered a capital resource, unlike roaming wild animals), bones and stones (These were used as tools by Juan, and as such can be considered capital resources, even though they were found naturally and were not produced, as most capital resources are.), basket to carry clay in, metate (grinding stone), sandpaper, fabric strainer, bucket, clay tub (quemador)

What human resources are needed to produce pots?
The artist alone produces the pots. There is no modern assembly line with division of labor. Rather, the artist produces the pot from start to finish.

The artists possess a lot of “human capital.” What is human capital?
Human capital refers to the education, training, and skills that workers have. There is no indication in the story that Juan probably had formal education and training in pottery making. However, he was highly skilled in the traditional way of making pottery. These particular skills are very scarce.

Why are people willing to pay good prices for Juan’s pottery?
People pay good prices because the pottery pieces are beautiful, original, handmade creations made in the traditional manner. (Traditional pottery-making skills are not common.) This makes it relatively scarce compared to other types of pottery, and therefore it commands a good price. 

How has the pottery benefited the people of Mata Ortiz?
The village is now flourishing, with many artists who produce pottery in the traditional manner. The income has allowed the villagers to improve their standard of living. Many now have modern kitchens, heating units for the cold winters, indoor bathrooms with running hot and cold water, and new trucks.

Other Concepts: Natural Resources, Human Resources, Scarcity

  Productive Resources