One by one the signs appeared, all about science and inventing.
“Science is messy” read one.
“Doesn’t always work” read another.
But as Rick Hartman, also known as Mr. Toymaker, pulled out the 10 signs one by one, he placed them in a specific order on the large wooden structure at the front of the East Hill Elementary School gymnasium, the signs transformed into “The Gears of Invention,” urging kids to use science and math to create new inventions.
Hartman, a former teacher who holds several patents for toys he’s created, also told the kids tales of his own failures – and those of famous inventors – to encourage them to keep trying.
“The toys that I made didn’t start out in shiny packaging,” he told the more than 600 elementary school kids assembled for part of an all-day program that included toy-making in the morning and an evening session for families.
Hartman started by telling the tale of his first invention, an old can filled with dirt, water, glue and wire that he hoped would turn itself into a radio with which he could hear aliens.
It didn’t work, of course, but the students were enrapt, watching him squeeze glue onto the disgusting concoction.
And along with the messy fun, Hartman had a message.
“I didn’t realize there was any science going on in that crazy experiment,” he said, using it as an example of simply trying something new.
Later, he talked about how some “silly ideas” become great inventions.
“Sometimes you can have an idea that doesn’t work out, but it leads to another idea,” he said.
Before his show, Hartman said his goal was “integrating science and math in a fun, real-life context for kids.”
And throughout the performance, Hartman kept referring back to mathematical principles, like when he asked the kids if they noticed any patterns as he tried to get two gears to both spin at the same rate.
“Boys and girls, you just saw what we call a ‘fraction in action,’” he said.
By the end of the performance, all 10 gears were in place and Hartman pulled a student out of the audience to crank the “Everyone Invents” gear and turn all 10 signs at once.
This is the eighth year Hartman has done his show at East Hill, according to principal Kyle Good.
“We like to show kids there’s a link between math, science and literacy,” Good said.
Good said he hoped Hartman’s show inspired kids to be creative and build inventions of their own.
“Anyone can do it!” he said.
For more information on Rick Hartman, visit www.toyworkshop.com
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