Making Ice Cream in a Bag

Making ice cream is a fun and delicious way to build science skills. Students will experience a change in state from a liquid to a solid. They will discover the difference of temperature between ice without salt and ice mixed with salt. They will practice following directions, measuring with accuracy to complete a recipe.

Recipe per student:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups crushed ice
• 1 gallon size Ziploc bags
• 2 sandwich size Ziploc bags
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup rock salt

In one of the small Ziploc baggies, mix together the milk, vanilla and sugar. Add additional toppings if desired (toppings may be a variable in this experiment). Squeeze excess air from the baggie and zip baggie tight. Double check for a tight seal. Place this bag in second sandwich baggie and close bag, also squeezing excess air from the bag.

I used non-fat chocolate milk. We also made a batch with rice milk.