One of my favorite end of the year activities is definitely making ice cream in a bag. This student-approved end of year activity can also double as an end of the year celebration. And, use the FREE reading passage included in the download to integrate this into literacy, making this activity admin approved as well!
Ice Cream in a Bag – Materials Needed
Amount Needed Per Student:
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup rock salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ice
- sandwich-size resealable plastic bag
- gallon-size resealable plastic bag
- toppings such as sprinkles or M&Ms
- optional free reading printable
Ice Cream in a Bag – Directions
I love using the reading passage (included in the free download) to create a list of step by step directions with the students. This way this activity easily doubles as a literacy activity. However, here are the directions if you don’t wish to do that (or you want to have something to use to guide the discussion):
1. Stir the cream, sugar, and vanilla together in a bowl.
2. Pour the mixture into a sandwich-size resealable plastic bag and tightly seal it.
3. Place the ice and rock salt into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag.
4. Put the filled sandwich-size bag into the gallon-size bag and tightly seal it.
5. Shake the bags until the mixture is frozen and resembles ice cream. This should take about 5 minutes.
6. Discard the larger bag with the rock salt.
7. Cut the corner off the smaller bag and squeeze out the ice cream into your chocolate bowl.
Ice Cream in a Bag Free Printables
Bonus: Make Chocolate Bowls!
If you have access to heat and helpers, this is a fun bonus to making ice cream in a bag.
Making Chocolate Bowls – Materials Needed
- balloons
- melty chocolate (amounts will vary, you’ll need enough for one bowl per student)
- sauce pan or large bowl
- glass
- scissors
1. Gently clean the balloons with soapy water. Be sure to rinse and dry each balloon thoroughly. Just one drop of water will ruin the melted chocolate.
2. Blow up a balloon to the desire size of an ice cream bowl.
3. Melt chocolate over a saucepan that is big enough to fit your balloon in.
4. Holding the tied end between your fingers, carefully dip the balloon into the melted chocolate and allow the excess to run off.
5. Place the balloon (tied side down, chocolate side up) into a glass or cup and allow the chocolate to harden. You can speed this up by placing it in the fridge or freezer.
6. Very carefully poke a small hole or cut a teeny slit in the top of the balloon, near the tie, and watch as the air slowly leaks out and pulls away from the hardened chocolate. Do not deflate the balloon too quickly or the bowl may crack.
7. Gently pull the rest of the balloon off your new chocolate bowl.
8. Place scoops of ice cream into your bowl and enjoy!
Want More End of the Year Activities for Grades 4-5?
End of the Year Literacy Activities and Ideas
End of the Year Math Activities and Ideas
FREE End of the Year Writing Prompts
FREE End of the Year Reflection Questions
End of Year Activities to Prepare Students for the Next Grade Level
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Hi there!
After multiple attempts to download by clicking on the words and picture, nothing happens. Can you please check to see if it can be down. Very excited to use Shem making ice cream.
Thanks ,
Sarah Devry-Tunell
Sorry about that! It should be fixed now, but just in case it is not, here is a direct link to the free downloads.
https://jenniferfindley.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Making-Ice-Cream.pdf
Are there nutritional facts for the ice cream and chocolate bowl?