Robin Spencer

CDEC 2407
Lab #2 Planning a Creative Food Activity

Activity:
Ice Cream in a Bag
Materials:
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Ice cubes (enough to fill large bag half full)
1/3 cup course salt or rock salt
2 small Ziploc bags
1 large Ziploc bag
Ice cream toppings (fruit, chocolate, sprinklers, ect.)
Bowl
Spoons

Intended skills to target:

Social, language, cognitive, creative, math/science, and physical development skills

What am I going to teacher?

I am going to teach children how to make a simple ice cream treat in a bag that uses very simple

ingredients. If the children use a rebus chart, they should be able to follow the directions and

work independently on this activity. I am going discuss states of matter, ice melting, and freezing

temperature.
How are you going to teach it?

I plan to start the lesson with some books about ice cream. This should help peak the children’s

interest in ice cream. During this large group activity, I can discuss with children what they

discuss what they think you need to make ice cream. Which can then turn into a modeled writing

activity. I would then make a list of the ingredients and tools the children suggested. Afterwards,

I would have students compare the list they made to the list of supplies that are required for this

recipe. Then before sending the children off for the activity I would review the rebus chart and

use this time to induce some vocabulary for the materials and tools used. Then students would do

this individually but in a small group setting so I can provide time for inquiry, observation, and

questions. A few questions to ask during the process. Why do you think the salt makes the ice

melt? What would happen if we did not add the salt to the ice? How can we slow down the

melting process? How can we speed up the melting process? You could scaffold up by starting

the conservation about freezing and melting and how the salt affects the ice to help the ice cream

process. You can scaffold down by providing a towel to wrap the bag in for the younger children

or instead of a big bag use a large plastic container with a lid to prevent little hands from getting

cold.

How will you assess what you have taught?

I plan to observe and assess by using open-ended questions. I will ask them how the process

works by adding the salt. One goal would be for children to use fine motor skills and math skills

to measure ingredients. Another goal would be for children to make guesses or predictions about

what will happen or what ingredients we would use. This shows development of critical thinking

skills and science inquiry skills. I can observe if the children to see if they are making
observations and asking questions. Another goal would be for children to follow simple

directions with no or limited assistance.

Summary:

I selected this activity because this can be a nice treat that gets the children excited and engaged

in science especially here in Texas when we have lots of hot days. I also choose this activity

because it is geared for preschool – 2nd grade. This activity you can have children either work in

pairs at the younger age groups or individually for the older groups. If you have the children

work in pairs this would support social skills and communication skills. The children will have to

work together create their ice cream mixture. This would also cover physical skills such as fine

motor with the scooping and large motor with mixing and shaking the of the bags. This activity

will promote language skills with vocabulary on materials, measuring, new science terms to

related to freezing or change of state of matter. The children can use creativity with adding

desired toppings. This activity can also support cognitive and critical thinking during discussion

before, during, and after activity. By asking open ended questions and discussing the process

during the activity. The teacher should explain what is happening during the types and provide

vocabulary for all tools, materials, and processing that are used or occur during the activity. If I

were to do this activity again, I learned that small groups would work better. I also found that

instead of using a bag of ice and salt for the children to shake that maybe using a large plastic

container of the ice and salt that has a lid on it. Then have the children put their ice cream bags in

the large container and have them take turn shaking the large container. This will prevent their

hands from getting cold and you will avoid leaks from ice bags.
Lesson instructions:

Step 1: Pour milk, vanilla, and sugar into the sandwich bag.

Step 2: Push the air out of the bag and seal it closed. You might want to double bag to avoid

spills. If so, place your sandwich bag inside another sandwich bag and seal it.

Step 3: Add ice to your gallon bag until it is about half full. Add the salt.

Step 4: Place your sandwich bag inside the gallon bag and seal it tight.

Step 5: Shake, shake, shake it up until your ice cream freezes – around ten minutes in most

cases. Watch the salt and ice melt together to get the creamy liquid inside the bag super cold!

https://lms.cliengage.org/pd-ecircle-docs/childhood-science/pk020-tr-6.pdf

https://lms.cliengage.org/pd‐ecircle‐docs/childhood‐science/pk020‐tr‐6.pdf 

https://www.himama.com/daycare‐activities/ice‐cream‐in‐a‐bag 

https://www.pre‐kpages.com/science‐for‐kids‐ice‐cream‐in‐a‐bag/ 

 
 

Works Cited 

Editor. “Ice Cream In A Bag Preschool Science Activity For Kids.” Pre, 26 Aug. 2020,
www.pre-kpages.com/science-for-kids-ice-cream-in-a-bag/.

Ice cream in a bag - science EXPERIMENT: ACTIVITIES. (n.d.). Retrieved April 07, 2021,
from https://www.himama.com/daycare-activities/ice-cream-in-a-bag

Welcome to cli engage. (n.d.). Retrieved April 07, 2021, from https://cliengage.org/

Editor. (2020, August 26). Ice cream in a bag preschool science activity for kids. Retrieved April
07, 2021, from https://www.pre-kpages.com/science-for-kids-ice-cream-in-a-bag/

Charlesworth, R. (2016). Math and science for young children. Australia: Cengage Learning.

 
REBUS
Ice Cream 20 S
School Age

In A Bag
Minutes Ice Cream
4+ years

Shake up some homemade ice cream on a hot day!

This activity can be done with any age group. Younger
kiddos will enjoy the sights and sounds of shaking the
bag and older kiddos will enjoy the science behind the
salt and ice!

Learning Outcomes
Domain: Indicator:
Cognitive Collecting and interpreting
information
Skills:
Inquiry

Materials Instructions
Step 1: Pour milk, vanilla, and sugar
• 1 cup whole milk or into the sandwich bag. Age Adjustments
whipping cream Step 2: Push the air out of the bag
and seal it closed. You might want to
• 1/2 cup sugar For older preschoolers: You can start
double bag to avoid spills. If so,
the conversation about freezing and
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract place your sandwich bag inside
melting and how the salt affects the
another sandwich bag and seal it.
• 1/3 cup rock salt ice to help the ice cream process.
Step 3: Add ice to your gallon bag
• Ice For younger toddlers: Little hands
until it is about half full. Add the salt.
may get cold easily; have them wear
• 1 gallon size bag
Step 4: Place your sandwich bag oven mitts or wrap the ice cream
• 2 sandwich size bags inside the gallon bag and seal it bags in a tea towel to help them
tight. shake it up!
Step 5: Shake, shake, shake it up
until your ice cream freezes –
around ten minutes in most cases.
Watch the salt and ice melt together
to get the creamy liquid inside the
bag super cold!

• Why do you think the salt makes the ice melt?

Playful • What would happen if we didn’t add the salt to the ice?
• How can we slow down the melting process?
Questions • How can we speed up the melting process?
 Robin Spencer
CDEC 2407
Lab #2 Planning a
Creative Food
Activity
Ice Cream in a Bag
 Materials and Ingredients
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• Ice cubes (enough to fill large Ziplock bag half full)
• 1/3 cup course salt or rock salt
• 2 small ziplock bags
• 1 large ziplock bag
• Ice cream toppings (fruit, chocolate, sprinkles, ect.)
• Bowl
• Spoon
REBUS
 Ice Cream in a Bag Lesson

• Start lesson with books about ice cream during whole group time and add books to
reading and writing centers.
• Discuss with children what all they think they would need to make ice cream and use this
for a modeled writing activity.
• Ask children about where you can buy ice cream and jobs related to the topic.
• Set up dramatic play area as ice cream shop or ice cream truck.
• Show children the actual list of ingredients and tools needed to make ice cream and have
them compare their list to the lesson list.
• Review Rebus chart for lesson, new vocabulary, and materials and tools.
• Ask children questions before, during, and after lesson
• Provide scaffolding as needed
• Main goals: Children follow rebus directions and work with partner or in small groups.
Children make guesses and predictions about what will happen.
 For books on lessons and other ideas to incorporate this theme into other areas of your
classroom check out the following link below. There are ideas for dramatic play area for an
ice cream shop or an ice cream truck. These books can be added to the reading and writing
center as well.

Wemberly’s Ice-Cream Star by Kevin Henkes

Just One More by Jennifer Hansen Rolli
Let’s Find Out About Ice Cream by Mary E. Reid
From Cow to Ice Cream by Bertram T. Knight
The Ice Cream King by Steve Metzger
Ice Cream Summer by Peter Sis
Groovy Joe: Ice Cream and Dinosaurs by Eric Litwin

https://www.pre-kpages.com/books-about-ice-cream-for-
preschoolers/
How does it work? When we add salt to ice
we lower the freezing point. This is the same
reason we ice sidewalks and roads in the
winter. The melting ice absorbs heat from the
bag of ice cream allowing us to quickly freeze
our delicious ice cream treat!
Why do you think the salt makes
the ice melt?
What would happen if we didn’t
add the salt to the ice?
How can we slow down the
melting process?
How can we speed up the melting
process?
🍦🍦Explore with flavors! Add
some chocolate syrup, cut up
berries or sprinkles to the mix to
switch up the ice cream flavors!
 Resources and Websites

For this lesson or ideas on other ice cream in a bag lessons or other food science activities clink
the links below.

• https://livingmontessorinow.com/montessori-
monday-montessori-inspired-natural-ice-cream-in-a-
bag/
• https://www.himama.com/
• https://www.himama.com/daycare-activities/ice-
cream-in-a-bag
• https://www.pre-kpages.com/science-for-kids-ice-
cream-in-a-bag/
• https://cliengage.org/public/tools/materials/
• https://www.pinterest.com/mdsciencecenter/food-
science/