Visit by The Toymaker To Northwood Third Graders Funded by MISF Grant

Mercer Island, WA, February 11, 2025 – Rick Hartman, also known as the Toymaker, brought his Magnets and Motion workshop to third graders at Northwood Elementary this afternoon.

The Toymaker’s visit was made possible by a grant from the Mercer Island Schools Foundation (MISF).

All third graders took part in projects with the Toymaker that focused on Balanced and Unbalanced Forces, Predicting Paths of Motion, and Magnetic Energy.

“I can confidently state that this workshop included plenty of open-ended creativity and exploration,” said Northwood third grade teacher Kate Lepp. “The Toymaker never fails to provide an immersive, engaging learning experience that explores and reinforces the science standards we teach.”

“I like that every student gets hands-on practice experimenting in a collaborative and iterative environment. The Toymaker introduces the topic and engages students to share what they already know and wonder, and then gives them simple, kid-friendly tools to test their theories,” continued Lepp.

Every student will get to take home their projects, with instructions on how to extend the exploration. The tools and materials that students use are everyday objects that they can easily procure at home if they wish to continue experimenting.

​For the projects the students took part in the Toymaker reinforces safety protocols and the scientific method of predict/test/assess and adjust.

“His 90 minute programs are compact, rich learning experiences, and always a highlight for my students,” said Lepp.

Lepp and fellow Northwood third grade teachers Jessie Dye and Samantha Snodgrass are very appreciative of the 15 parent volunteers that attended the Toymaker’s visit to help direct students in their experiments.

Started in 1981, MISF has raised over $27 million thanks to our generous community.

Since its founding, the Foundation has become the catalyst for the Mercer Island community to guarantee every teacher has access to the most up-to-date, innovative educational materials that guarantee exceptional teaching and learning experiences for every student.

The tremendous success of the organization lies in the simple fact that the Mercer Island Schools Foundation was born in a community that places value on quality education. Learn more about the impact of our community’s commitment to education.