Lesson 6

What's the Scoop?

Objectives:

• Students will learn that temperature can influence chemical and physical reactions

• Students will investigate how cold temperature affects liquids and solids.

• Students will observe a liquid turn into a solid (ice cream).

Time Required:

• Two-one hour sessions 

Vocabulary:

• ice-cream
• liquid
• chemical
• reaction

Materials:

• "Eighteen Flavors" by Shel Silverstein (found in Where the Sidewalk Ends)

• Large ice-cream cutout (use bulleting board paper or chart paper)

• Ice

• Quart and Gallon-sized zip lock bags

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Ice-cream ingredients:  heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla

• Rock Salt

• Spoons

• Computer with Spreadsheet program and Word Processing Program

• Group Participation Rubric or Student Performance Evaluation

• Ice-Cream Sensory Poem Form

Advanced Preparation:.

• Fill gallon-sized plastic bags 1/3 full of ice (one bag for every three to four students) and store the bags in the freezer.

• Have measuring sups and spoons for every group of students.

Procedures

• Read poem "Eighteen Flavors" by Shel Silverstein.
• Ask students what they think will happen when cream, sugar and vanilla are mixed together and frozen.  Write their responses in a big ice-cream cutout.
• Divide the class into groups of three to four students and give each group ice cream ingredients, measuring cups and spoons, a quart-sized plastic bag and a cup of rock salt.
• Ask each group to measure and pour 1cup of whipping cream, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1/4 tsp.of vanilla into their plastic bags.  Have them seal their bags tightly (assist as needed).  Have each group place the sealed bags inside the ice bag and add 1/2cup rock salt to the ice.  Ask them to seal the ice bags and take turns shaking them to mix and cool the enclosed ingredients.  (Have them drain the melted water out of the ice bags when necessary).
• Ask students to observe what happens to the cream mixture over time.  Discuss results; what happened to the liquid?, why is ice important for making ice cream?, why do you think salt was added to the ice bag?, etc.
• Allow students to taste their results.

Evaluation:

• Use the Group Participation Rubric or Student Performance Evaluation.

Extension Activity:

• Take a class poll of students favorite ice-cream flavors.  Have students create a graph using any spreadsheet program of the results.

• Students can create their own ice-cream flavor.  Have them write the name of their ice-cream on an ice-cream pattern and list the ingredients and illustrate the new ice cream in its box or container.   Students can also use Kid Pix to do this activity.

Home Learning:

• Have students write an Ice-Cream Sensory Poem about ice-cream and decorate his poem.  When students return to school have them share their poem with the class.  Students can also type their poems using any word processing program on nice ice cream stationary for display

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