More Teaching Ideas

Ice Cream in a Bag

Grade Level: Primary

"These activities can get a little messy," warns Diane Trapp, who made this recipe after teaching her students about the Milk Group. According to Ms. Trapp, it's well worth the time and effort because children put math, reading and science skills to work.

What You Need:

• Pint-size, zipper-lock bags — 1 per student
• Gallon-size, zipper-lock bags — 1 per student
• Recipe ingredients — Adjust based on class size
• Crushed ice — About 2 cups per student
• Rock salt — About 6 tablespoons per student
• Measuring spoons
• Liquid measuring cup
• Plenty of napkins
• Large roll paper towels
• Plastic spoons for tasting — 1 per student
• Write the recipe on the chalkboard or a large flip-chart
• Set up stations that work for your group and setting (see note below)

Note: These activities work best when stations are set up around the room. You can have one ingredient per station and have children rotate through the stations or have all of the ingredients at several stations and assign a group of children to each station.

Ice Cream in a Bag Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crushed ice
6 tablespoons rock salt

What to Do:
1. Have students:

• Pour the milk, sugar and vanilla extract into their pint-size freezer bag. Have them squeeze out as much air as possible, seal the bag and shake to mix.
• Put ice in a gallon-size freezer bag so that it is about half full. Add 4 to 6 tablespoons of rock salt.
• Put the pint-size bag with milk mixture into the gallon-size bag.
• Close tightly and shake gently for about 5 minutes. If the bag gets too cold to handle, wrap a strip of paper towels around it.
• Remove the small bag and wipe off the top. Open carefully and enjoy the ice cream with a spoon.