Bring U of T into Your Classroom!
Give your students a head start on their academic journey with the University of Toronto Faculty of Arts & Science's interactive high school workshops — available both in person and virtually.
2025-26 Workshops
With a wide range of sessions to choose from, you can select the experience that best fits your class. Depending on the workshop, students may:
- Attend a real university lecture
- Discover campus history through a story-telling walk
- Tour state-of-the-art laboratories
- Join discussions with professors and U of T students
Every workshop is designed to spark curiosity, broaden horizons, and help students imagine themselves at university. Facilitated by professors, staff, or students, these sessions also introduce U of T's 400+ world-renowned programs and highlight the resources and supports available to undergraduate students.
It's a unique chance to enrich your curriculum while giving students a meaningful glimpse into university life.
All workshops are organized by admission category. You can choose one workshop per admission category.
Note: In-person workshops will be held on campus.
Humanities & Social Sciences Workshops
Introduction to Theatre Performance
Duration: 1.5 hours
Format: In person
Facilitated by: Instructor Ken Gass
Workshop Dates:
- Wednesday, October 8, 2025 from 1:10 to 2:30 p.m.
Description: A sneak peek of what an Intensive Acting Course looks like in a university context. This is a chance for prospective (or just curious) students to engage in a creative acting workshop with current undergraduate drama students and their professor in a friendly, inclusive environment. Wear comfortable clothing.
Recommended Preparation: Wear comfy clothes and bring your boldest self — it’s your time to take the stage!
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of workshop.
CIN105Y1 - Introduction to Film Study
Duration: 1 hour
Format: In person (Max. 30 participants per lecture)
Facilitated by: Professor James Leo Cahill
Workshop Dates:
- Tuesday October 7, 2025 from 12 to 1 p.m.: Editing
- Tuesday October 14, 2025 from 12 to 1 p.m.: Sounds and Music
- Tuesday October 21, 2025 from 12 to 1 p.m.: Style
- Tuesday November 4, 2025 from 12 to 1 p.m.: Narration
- Tuesday November 11, 2025 from 12 to 1 p.m.: Documentary
- Tuesday November 25, 2025 from 12 to 1 p.m.: Animation
Description: Sit in on a CIN105Y1 - Introduction to Film Study lecture. CIN105Y1Y is designed as an introduction to an interrelated set of approaches to cinema studies. The course begins with an extended examination of the basic elements of film form, providing students with the necessary terminology and skills to analyze movies. Once these practical foundations have been established, we move on to a wide-ranging survey of different types of films (from live-action to animated, fiction to documentary, narrative to experimental, classical to post-classical, and dominant to radical) as well as the various analytical approaches that such movies have fostered among scholars. By the end of this trajectory, CIN105Y1Y students will be able to recognize and explain how meaning is produced in a wide variety of films, and these fundamental skills will in turn prepare you for future course work in cinema studies.
Recommended Preparation: None
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of each workshop.
Latin: Bringing a Dead Language Back to Life
Duration: 1 hour
Format: In person (Max. 20 participants per lecture)
Facilitated by: Professor Drew Davis
Workshop Dates:
- Friday, October 17, 2025 from 1 to 2 p.m.
- Friday, November 7, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday November 21, 2025 from 1 to 2 p.m.
Description: What does it take to learn a dead language like Latin? Why should you? Come get a look at what learning an ancient language is like at university and get hands on experience writing and speaking Latin in a friendly, low-stakes environment. Recommended Preparation: Come curious, leave speaking Latin!
Booking Deadline: 2 weeks in advance of each workshop.
CLA170: Ancient Texts, Modern Worlds (Lecture Visit)
Duration: 1.5 hour Format: In person (Max. 20 participants per lecture)
Facilitated by: Professor Victoria Wohl
Workshop Dates:
- Tuesday, October 21, 2025 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. – Different Modes of Interpreting Antigone, Part 1
- Thursday, October 23, 2025 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. – Different Modes of Interpreting Antigone, Part 2 / Reception Across Languages & Media
- Tuesday, November 18, 2025 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. – Greece & Rome on the screen
- Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. – Greece & Rome on the screen
- Tuesday, November 25, 2025 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. – Sex & Gender
- Thursday, November 27, 2025 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. – Race & Slavery
Description: How can an ancient text influence modern life? Why are ancient voices still relevant? Come see what its at stake in interpreting the literature and culture of ancient Greece and Rome and get a taste of what a university class on the ancient world is like! Recommended Preparation: Bring your curiosity and a love for all things ancient — no toga, Greek, or Latin required!
Booking Deadline: 2 weeks in advance of each workshop.
Introduction to Classical Mythology (Lecture Visit) - “Heroes and cities”
Duration: 1.5 hour Format: In person (Max. 20 participants per lecture)
Facilitated by: Donald McCarthy
Workshop Dates:
- Monday, October 6, 2025 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 15, 2025 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 22, 2025 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Description: How can an ancient myth influence our modern world? Why are these stories still relevant? Come see what its at stake in interpreting the mythology of ancient Greece and Rome and get a taste of what a university class on the ancient world is like! Recommended Preparation: Bring your curiosity and a love for epic tales — no toga, Greek, or Latin required!
Booking Deadline: 2 weeks in advance of each workshop.
Criminology — what is it? how do you study it?
Duration: 1.5 hour
Format: In person
Facilitated by: Professor Matthew Light
Workshop Dates:
- Friday, October 17, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Friday, November 14, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Description: Stories about crime and criminal justice are all around us. Most people know there is a profession called criminology that studies these issues. But what exactly is criminology? How can I study it at university? And where might it lead me professionally? Professor Matthew Light of the University of Toronto's Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies explains.
Recommended Preparation: None.
Booking Deadline: 2 weeks in advance of each workshop.
The Science of Speech
Duration: 1 hour
Format: Virtual
Facilitated by: Professor Paul Bessler
Workshop Dates:
- Friday, November 7, 2025 from 10 to 11 a.m.
- Friday, November 28, 2025 from 10 to11 a.m.
Description: The purpose of this workshop is to introduce students to the field of phonetics, which is the area of linguistics that deals with the sounds that make up speech. We will begin by examining the relationship between the production of sounds by the vocal apparatus and the physical properties of the resulting sound waves. We will then look at some of the tools used by phoneticians to analyze these sounds, and we will conclude by considering some practical applications of these tools, such as teaching pronunciation to second-language learners and speech recognition. Please note that this workshop can be conducted in English or in French.
Recommended Preparation: None, just a love for the sounds of speech!
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of each workshop.
French studies at U of T
Duration: 1 hour Format: Virtual
Facilitated by: Paul Bessler
Workshop Dates:
- Friday, October 17, 2025 from 10 to 11 a.m.
- Friday, October 31, 2025 from 10 to 11 a.m.
Description: The purpose of this workshop is to provide students with an overview of the three types of courses offered in the Department of French, namely language, literature and linguistics. We will also look at the various minor, major and specialist programs offered by the department, as well as some of the career opportunities available to graduates. Please note that this workshop can be conducted in English or in French.
Recommended Preparation: Grade 10 French
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of each workshop.
Introduction to German
Duration: 1.5 hour
Format: In person
Facilitated by: Associate Professor Hang-Sun Kim
Workshop Dates:
- Friday, October 17 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Description: Come and take part in an undergraduate beginner's German class! Afterwards, join some of our students and professors for a relaxed and friendly conversation at our Kaffeestunde (coffee hour).
Recommended Preparation: No German required.
Booking Deadline: 2 weeks in advance of each workshop.
First Story Tour
Duration: Tours can range from 1.5-3 hours
Format: In person
Facilitated by: Georgia LaForme & Professor Jon Johnson
Workshop Dates:
- Mondays: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- October 6 13, 20 and 27
- Tuesdays: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- October 7, 14, 21 and 28
- Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- October 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30
Description: First Story Toronto is a grassroots Indigenous organization dedicated to researching and sharing Indigenous histories and geographies of Toronto through educational initiatives like storytelling walks, bus tours, and digital projects. This walk of the University of Toronto’s St. George reveals layers of Indigenous history and presence on campus, highlighting sites that carry deep cultural, historical, and ongoing significance. This walk offers students an opportunity to see how historical Indigenous experiences shape present realities, providing an essential venue for learning about Indigenous issues in Canada today.
Recommended Preparation: A great attitude and whatever helps you move comfortably!
Booking Deadline: At least 2 weeks before your desired date.
Reggaeton and Resistance: Bad Bunny's "NUEVAYoL"
Duration: 1.5 hours
Format: In person
Facilitated by: Assistant Professor Paula Karger
Workshop Dates:
- Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
- Friday, October 17, 2025 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Description: This workshop will focus on Bad Bunny's “NUEVAYoL” to examine the relationship between the U.S.A. and Latin America. Together, we will analyze the lyrics and associated images to explore some of the history and present-day realities of the Latinx experience, especially considering manifestations of resistance.
Recommended Preparation: Bring your critical lens, open ears, and maybe a lyric or two stuck in your head.
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of each workshop
Discovering The Diversity of Portuguese: A Journey Through Time and Space
Duration: 1.5 hour
Format: In person
Facilitated by: Associate Professor Anabela Rato & Anaísa Gordino
Workshop Dates:
- Wednesday, October 22, 2025 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 5, 2025 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 12, 2025 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Description: This workshop invites students to explore the rich linguistic and cultural evolution of the Portuguese language. Through interactive activities and discussion. participants will trace the historical roots of Portuguese, observe its global spread across continents, and examine how regional varieties reflect diverse cultural identities. This workshop aims to foster an appreciation for linguistic diversity and deepen students’ understanding of the dynamic nature of language.
Recommended Preparation: Senior high school students.
Booking Deadline: 2 weeks in advance of each workshop.
Mapping the Natural World in the Middle Ages
Duration: 1 hour
Format: In person
Facilitated by: Professor James Ginther
Workshop Dates:
- Monday, October 27, 2025 (Time TBD)
- Monday, November 10, 2025 (Time TBD)
Description: One of the misunderstandings about the pre-modern world is that people did not understand the world around them. We sometimes hear people say that in the Middle Ages the earth was thought to be flat, that the natural world was a mystery, and that the universe was small. In this workshop we will examine two maps made in thirteenth-century Europe: one was a map of the known world and the other was a map of the universe. We will discuss how men and women represented the world and the universe with maps like these and why they wanted to explore the world around them.
Recommended Preparation: No compass needed to explore these medieval maps!
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of each workshop.
Exploring food justice
Duration: 1.5 hours
Format: In Person (Max. 30 participants per lecture)
Facilitated by: Professor Michael Classens
Workshop Date(s):
- Tuesday, November 25th, 2025 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Description: Where does your food come from? Why does it come from where it comes? Who grows, harvests, and transports your food? We don't often think about our food much, but most of us eat many times every day. This workshop will explore our food system, with a specific focus on food justice - that is, thinking about our food system through the lens of social and environmental justice.
Recommended Preparation: A hungry mind.
Note: Light lunch will be provided.
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of each workshop.
Life Sciences Workshops
Drugs: Substance Use Disorder
Duration: 2 hours
Format: Virtual
Facilitated by: Dr. Michelle Arnot
Workshop Dates:
- Friday, October 17, 2025 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
- Tuesday, November 18, 2025 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Description: Dr. Michelle Arnot will provide a 45-minute live workshop on the neuropharmacology and toxicology behind how certain drugs that act in the brain can lead to substance use disorder. She will cover a few of the most common theories and use examples from prescription and street drugs, for example pain medication (opioids), sleeping pills and stimulants. The discussion will be followed by a Q&A with Dr. Arnot and students.
Recommended Preparation: Bring your curiosity — no science degree needed!
Booking Deadline: 2 weeks in advance of each workshop.
Mathematical & Physical Sciences Workshops
Learning about the Sun through Sunspots
Duration: 1.5 hour
Format: In person (Max. 20 participants per event)
Facilitated by: Ilana MacDonald and Michael Williams
Workshop Dates:
- Wednesday, October 8, 2025 from 11a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Description: In this workshop, students will have the chance to learn all about the sun through the strange phenomenon of sunspots. They take their own pictures of the sun through one of our telescopes (weather permitting) and use both current and archival sunspot data to calculate the sun's physical characteristics.
Recommended Preparation: Ability to transfer data onto a cartesian plot, basic geometry
Booking Deadline: 2 weeks in advance of each workshop.
Sit in on a First-Year University Chemistry Class
Duration: 1 hour
Format: In person (Max. 10 students per class)
Facilitated by: Professor Mark Wilson, Professor Aya Sakaya, & Professor John De Backere
Workshop Dates:
- Wednesday, October 15, 2025 from 9 to 10 a.m. or 12 to 1 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 22, 2025 from 9 to 10 a.m. or 12 to 1 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 19, 2025 from 12 to 1 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 26, 2025 from 12 to 1 p.m.
Note: If you register for this workshop and would also like to see our undergraduate laboratory facilities, please contact Professor De Backere to arrange a tour.
Description: This workshop is recommended for grade 11 or 12 students interested in seeing what a university chemistry class is like.
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of each workshop.
An introduction to geological microscopes
Duration: 1 hour
Format: In person (Max. 30 participants per session)
Facilitated by: Associate Professor Daniel Gregory
Workshop Dates:
- Wednesday, October 29, 2025 from 10 to 11 a.m.
- Wednesday, November 5, 2025 from 10 to 11 a.m.
- Wednesday, November 19, 2025 from 10 to 11 a.m.
- Wednesday, November 26, 2025 from 10 to 11 a.m.
Description: We discuss the properties of light and how they are used in identifying minerals with a microscope, then we will provide a hands-on introduction to using a petrographic microscope to identify and understand a variety of beautiful minerals.
Recommended Preparation: Knowledge of the periodic table
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of each workshop.
Graph it Like Königsberg: The Art of Coloring Without Crossing
Duration: 1 hour
Format: Virtual
Facilitated by: Dr. Asia Majeed
Workshop Dates:
- Thursday, October 16, 2025 from 10 to 11 a.m.
- Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Description: In this workshop, students will explore how everyday problems, like planning routes or mapping friendships, can be solved using graph theory. Inspired by the famous Seven Bridges of Königsberg, we’ll explore graph coloring and discover which graphs can be drawn without any edges crossing. It’s a hands-on introduction to the fun and surprising world of mathematical connections!
Recommended Preparation: Advance Functions
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of each workshop.
I Don’t Do Math
Duration: 1 hour
Format: In person (Max. 15 participants per event)
Facilitated by: Independent artist Ann Piché, Assistant Professor Roberta Buiani & Associate Professor Amenda Chow
Workshop Dates:
- Thursday, September 25, 2025 from 5 to 6 p.m. (Exhibition Opening)
- Location: New College Ivey Library, 20 Willcocks street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1
- Saturday September 27, 2025 from 2 to 3 p.m. (Exhibition Special Tour)
- Location: New College Ivey Library, 20 Willcocks street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1
- Monday September 29, 2025 from 4 to 5 p.m. (Special panel)
- Location: The Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, Room 230, 222 College Street, Toronto, Ontario
Description: “I don’t do math” is a project referencing dyscalculia, a learning difference affecting a person’s ability to understand and manipulate number-based information. While dyslexia (difficulty with language) is a well-known learning condition, which thanks to years of advocacy is now detected early in life, dyscalculia still remains unknown. An average of 3–7% of all children, adolescents, and adults suffer from dyscalculia (Haberstroh & Schulte-Körne 2019). However, current numbers might be underestimated, as only a fraction of school children struggling with math skills are screened for dyscalculia (Sparks 2023). Although it is often dismissed as related to low education or as simply the feature of one’s personality, dyscalculia can have a negative impact throughout a person’s life. Math anxiety, a feeling of apprehension or fear that interferes with math performance, can be confused with dyscalculia. The two are not the same, although dyscalculia can cause math anxiety.
This initiative consists of a photographic exhibition and a panel discussion. We seek to raise awareness about the challenges posed by dyscalculia with educators, fellow mathematicians, and parents, and to normalize its existence, leading to early detection and augmented support. In addition, we hope to further reflect on and question broader issues and assumptions about the role and significance of Mathematics and Math education in today’s changing socio-cultural and economic contexts.
Recommended Preparation: Advance Functions
Booking Deadline: 1 week in advance of each workshop.
"My students loved the workshop. One of them started looking up where to purchase the geological microscopes, one says he's now 'obsessed with pyrite' and all the students were raving over the colours and shapes of different minerals. I'd love to run this again next year."
— An introduction to geological microscopes, Chemistry High School Teacher