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5 Facts About Ice Cream | How to Make Ice Cream In A Bag Science

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I have a cool ice cream in a bag science experiment and amazing 5 facts about ice cream to tell you a little about its history. Also, look at my Free Summer Unit Study For Kids and Fun Starfish Craft for more ideas.

You scream, I scream…We all scream for ice cream.

 Who doesn’t love a good bowl of ice cream?

I know that your kids are going to go wild for this science lesson on how ice cream is formed into an emulsion by using freezing point depression.

5 Facts About Ice Cream | How to Make Ice Cream In A Bag Science

Follow along as we go into some of the explanation of how and why ice cream forms with our simple recipe to make it a wonderful learning experience.

You don’t have to own a fancy ice cream maker to enjoy your own creamy delicious custom flavor.

In about 20 minutes with just a few ingredients and a willing kid, you have your own creation.

To extend the science lesson you can repeat the experiment using milk or heavy whipping cream, as well as different types of salt.

5 Facts About Ice Cream

  1. It takes A LOT of milk to produce just 1 gallon of ice cream, 12 pounds (about 3 gallons) to be exact, to make that creamy delicious carton. That’s about half a day’s work for one cow.
  1. The FDA requires that to use the name ‘Ice Cream’, the manufacturer’s recipe must contain at least 10% milk fat and 6–10% milk and nonfat milk solids.
  1. Ice cream, or at least a very close relative of it, has been around since the reign of Cyrus the Great in 500 BC. Way back then sweetened ice was crushed up and mixed with different flavors, fruits, and toppings.
  1. Do you know the most popular ice cream flavors? They come with cookies & cream at #3, chocolate at #2, and vanilla making the top of the list at #1.
  1. Have you ever wondered why you get a headache if you eat your ice cream too fast? That is because when something cold touches the roof of your mouth, the blood vessels that run between your mouth and your brain tense up. This in turn traps blood in your brain. The pressure from the extra blood causes pain in the brain.
5 Facts About Ice Cream | How to Make Ice Cream In A Bag Science

Also, look at my post 5 Facts About The Moon Landing and Make Fun Astronaut Ice Cream for more hands-on fun.

Next, before we make and enjoy our frozen treat learn about the science behind ice cream.

About Ice Cream

Grab this fun cookbook about ice cream.

The Science of Ice Cream

The reason why this method works so well is because salt lowers the freezing temperature of water.

This makes ice melt faster and that is why they salt icy roads when it snows, to get rid of it in a hurry. 

This physical reaction is called freezing point depression.

 Then the ice pulls the heat from whatever surrounds it, the cream mixture.

Then the ice cream mixture freezes, pure water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), but water mixed with salt freezes below 0 degrees Celsius.

Another science concept in this activity is making an emulsion.

Emulsion is a combo of two liquids that are not typically mixed like water and fat.

The fat molecules in the half and half are changed with the addition of water, ice crystals, sugar and air to create the tasty concoction.

Finally, look at how to make ice cream in a bag.

Ice Cream in a Bag Recipe

You will need:

  • Quart ziploc bag
  • Gallon ziploc bag
  • 3-4 cups of Ice
  • ½ cup Salt
  • 1 cup Half and half
  • 1 Tbsp. Granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract (or any extract flavor)
5 Facts About Ice Cream | How to Make Ice Cream In A Bag Science

Optional mix-ins- chocolate chips, broken cookie pieces, coconut, cocoa powder, nuts, mm’s, etc.

First, place ice and ¼ cup of salt into the gallon bag.

5 Facts About Ice Cream | How to Make Ice Cream In A Bag Science

Pour half and half, sugar, and extract into the quart sized bag.

Press out air and seal well to avoid getting salt in your ice cream.

5 Facts About Ice Cream | How to Make Ice Cream In A Bag Science

We made chocolate ice cream, so I added a heaping spoon of cocoa to the bag and a bit more sugar.

Place the half and half bag into the center of the larger bag in the ice.

5 Facts About Ice Cream | How to Make Ice Cream In A Bag Science

Press the air out of the large bag and seal.

Now the fun (and tiring) part begins.

It’s time to shake, roll, and massage the ice and salt all around the bag of cream.

Do this for about 15 to 20 minutes.

You will probably need to trade off before the ice cream begins to thicken and freeze.

5 Facts About Ice Cream | How to Make Ice Cream In A Bag Science

You will notice the ice melts quickly and feels much colder than it typically would.

The ice cream is ready when it is about the consistency of soft serve.

Eat it right out of the bag.

Beware of the salt on the outside or transfer your ice cream to a fun dish to enjoy.

5 Facts About Ice Cream | How to Make Ice Cream In A Bag Science

Quick And Inexpensive Letter C Handprint Craft – Crafty Crab Fun

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you need an adorable letter c handprint craft to teach your child in a fun and creative way, I have some crafty crab fun for you made with their own two little precious hands. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more ideas.

This makes for a wonderful summer learning project for preschoolers as you discover all the amazing animals in and around the ocean.

This sounds like a great reason for multiple field trips to the beach don’t you think?

Quick And Inexpensive Letter C Handprint Craft - Crafty Crab Fun

Crabs are fascinating creatures as they make their home in all oceans as well as fresh water.

Some crabs live on land, some live several miles from water. Some species, such as the fiddler crab live in burrows in the sand or mud.

Crabs all have a hard exoskeleton to protect and support their more delicate insides yet some, like the hermit crab, choose to also hide inside of shells for additional protection.

Most crabs have a total of 10 appendages, two pincers/claws at the front, 6 walking legs, and 2 swimming legs in the very back.

They can vary in size from just ¾ “, the Pea Crab, to an up to 13’ leg span of the Japanese Spider Crab.

That is a pretty big size spread for one creature!

Let’s fiddle around and see what fun activities we can do with our littles to learn all about these crustaceans.

First, look at these beautiful books about the ocean.

Ocean Books

I love living books when we study.

Then I love to add in reference books when we’re learning.

16 Ocean Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

Choose a few of these ocean themed books to go along with your study of the Oceans. Whether you're looking for a spine for a unit study or literature, you'll love this roundup.

More Letter C Handprint Craft Ideas

  • Another C handprint craft is this cute crawling Caterpillar Handprint Craft and it would go along wonderfully with The Very Hungry Caterpillar book.
  • You could also go a farm route and create C is For Carrot handprint art.
  • This Handprint Art- C is For Car is ideal for a transportation unit with preschoolers who love things that go.
  • Dig into the desert with C is for Camel handprint craft as well as some other fabulous ideas for the theme.
  • Make a quick and easy Cactus Handprint without messy paint to clean up.

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Quick And Inexpensive Letter C Handprint Craft - Crafty Crab Fun

Ocean Crab Vocabulary Words

If you are going to create a crab handprint with your little you may as well turn it into a learning session as you do. Here are a few basic vocabulary words to teach the various anatomy of a crab.

  • Crustaceans- They live mostly in water, have a hard shell, a segmented body, and jointed appendages.
  • Exoskeleton- An outside skeleton that helps protect and support a crabs softer body.
  • Cheliped-The front arm of a crab that supports the claw, also known as a pincer.
  • Crawling Legs- These are the 8 other smaller legs on either side of a crab used to move around.
  • Antennae- In general crabs have two pairs, they are also known as feelers. Crabs use them to eat, navigate, smell, and for movement.

Quick And Inexpensive Letter C Handprint Craft

You will need:

  • Blue cardstock paper
  • Tan cardstock paper
  • Red paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Google eyes
  • Glue stick
Quick And Inexpensive Letter C Handprint Craft - Crafty Crab Fun

First, start with a blue background to look like the sky/water so that your crab is not just floating in white.

Tear a few strips of tan cardstock and use a glue stick to attach it along the bottom of the paper for sand layers.

Quick And Inexpensive Letter C Handprint Craft - Crafty Crab Fun

Now you want to coat those little hands in a good thick layer of red and stamp them one at a time so the palms just touch at the wrist area.

Be sure to press the palm and each finger down so the paint transfers well. Thumbs pointing upwards make great antennae.

Quick And Inexpensive Letter C Handprint Craft - Crafty Crab Fun

Allow the paint to dry completely then have them glue on googly eyes.

Whenever working on a project with preschool and younger children I like to write the letter on the paper as well or even ‘C is for Crab’ to help them make the connection that letters and words have meaning.

Quick And Inexpensive Letter C Handprint Craft - Crafty Crab Fun

6 Resources for Making Homeschool High School Science Easy

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I have 6 resources for making homeschool high school science easy. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool High School.

Science has been a subject that we have always tried to add naturally into our day.

Too, I folded it into our unit studies even at the high school level.

However, we do love spending our time reading about history and geography.

So, I wanted to be sure as the boys entered high school that they received more formal training in science.

6 Resources for Making Homeschool High School Science Easy

It didn’t mean we had to give up our hands-on things we were doing with our unit studies, but I wanted to be sure our activities were high school level because I wanted our transcript to reflect that.

Like history, science is a subject that you and your teen need to determine how in depth to cover it.

Though my boys loved science, like me, they had a bent toward history and geography so that did affect their choice as to curriculum.

If you’re a science minded family, its important which science track your teens takes.

Even if your teen is not choosing a career in science, the advantages of covering science at the high school level go far beyond just college or career.

5 Questions Before Purchasing A High School Science Program

Before I mention those advantages for us, look at these things to mull over before you pull the trigger on a high school science program.

  • Do you want to only cover the  major sciences like biology, chemistry and physics?
  • Do you want to cover subjects outside the traditional subjects, like astronomy or botany? Having homeschooled from the beginning, this is what appealed to my sons. They could feed their minds on subjects they were passionate about. So not only does science stir up a deep appreciation for creation, but the logical thought process that science teaches sticks with your child lifelong.
  • Does a Christian or secular view matter?
  • Is any teacher prep involved?
  • What kind of costs are involved for hands-on and lab? We stuck to curriculum that just used items we could find around the house and purchased a few other things like microscopes and lab things, but for the most part, we just used what we had.

Mr. Senior 2013, enjoyed the textbook approach of Apologia during his junior years but when it came to high school, he wanted a change.

He was pursuing some electives like public speaking that he wanted to focus on and writing.

But first, look at some of these how to homeschool high school books.

How to Homeschool High School Books & Resources

How to homeschool high school can be daunting at first. With a little help and these great resources, you’ll be a homeschool pro in no time.

Too, Apologia had advanced courses like Advanced Physics that I knew we could come back to later if he wanted to pursue science in more depth.

So after reading about the interactive content Switched-on Schoolhouse used, he decided to use SOS Integrated Physics & Chemistry.He enjoyed the video clips, animations and games.

He ended up really liking their courses because they had courses that were outside of the traditional approach and kept science fun for him.

That program was discontinued but I find that 1) Glencoe Science Integrated Physics and Chemistry was similar and used with my second son.

Too, courses like 2) family consumer science are offered. Such practical courses in preparation for adulthood are sometimes not easy to find.

So, my next son didn’t follow a traditional approach either.

Random Efforts Can Pay Off

He liked more of a simplified approach to science and wanted to study only subjects that interested him like the stars.

So we used 3) Lift Up Your Eyes On High: Understanding the Stars (Christian Liberty Press High School Curriculum) .

And he also liked 4) Biology: A Search For Order in Complexity, 2nd Edition.

Too, Christian Liberty Press borrows some of their books from A Beka and Bob Jones.

Then for Mr. Awesome 2015 we also used part of 5) Biology by Bob Jones and then back to Christian Liberty Press for part of Chemistry or it was really by Bob Jones.

Lastly, we loved the straightforward approach of 6) Lifepacs. They are like worktexts which are good for independent learners. We loved Lifepac Biology.

Mr. Senior 2015 stayed on just one or two science providers.

Mr. Awesome 2015 was all over the place on subjects but liked the combinations.

Too, the process of scientific investigation is critical to higher thinking skills and logical thinking ability is a lost art not just among teens, but among adults too.

These are skill sets my boys should have.

So we didn’t follow a traditional approach by a family that would be pursuing a science career.

But we enjoyed having the variety of topics that fed my sons’ curiosity at the high school level,

However, it kept their passion for science.

What has worked for your family or what are you mulling over?

More High School Science Tips

6 Resources for Making Homeschool High School Science Easy @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re learning about sea geography and what exactly is a sea. Also, look at my Oceans Unit Study and Lapbook page and Hands-On Simple And Best Homeschool Geography Ideas & Tips.

Is the sea different from the ocean? 

Oftentimes the words ‘sea ‘and ‘ocean’ are used interchangeably when describing large salty bodies of water, but they are two distinct bodies of water. 

But beyond learning about the difference between seas and oceans we of course have a fun activity that I think you and your kids will enjoy.

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

We are making a craft based on Paddle to the Sea which gives us a lovely fun geography lesson.

Do you remember as a kid creating your own carbon paper?

I distinctly remember an elementary school scribbling on the back of a paper flipping it and writing on the other side in order to make the carbon transfer to another sheet of paper.

This is a technique that I want to share with you or remind you of today to show your kids how to make their own map.

Before we do that let’s find out some more facts about sea geography and what a sea is and isn’t.

First, look at a few books about the ocean.

16 Ocean Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

Choose a few of these ocean themed books to go along with your study of the Oceans. Whether you're looking for a spine for a unit study or literature, you'll love this roundup.

A Sea Versus an Ocean

A sea is defined as a portion of the ocean that is partly surrounded by land. Using this definition there are about 50 seas around the world.

This includes bodies of water that are not often thought of as seas.

For example, the Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Hudson Bay which is the largest northern inland sea.

An ocean is defined as one of the large bodies of water into which the ocean is divided.

What is a Sea

  • Smaller than oceans
  • Partially enclosed by land
  • Most often not as salty as oceans

Examples-Mediterranean Sea, Caribbean Sea, North Sea, Hudson Bay.

What is an Ocean

  • Much larger than seas
  • Deeper than seas
  • Not enclosed by land
  • More salty than seas

Examples-Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean

There is one exception to this and that is the Sargasso Sea.

It is located entirely within the Atlantic Ocean and is the only sea without a land boundary

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

Paddle to The Sea and the Great Lakes

So, what do the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay have to do with oceans or seas? Also, grab the book Paddle to the Sea.

Where does this water from the Great Lakes go? Where does it come from?

The Great Lakes were originally fed by meltwater from glaciers but now gets its new water from rivers, precipitation, and groundwater springs.

The Long Lac and Ogoki diversions of the Hudson Bay, located in northern Ontario, divert water from a portion of the Hudson Bay watershed into the Lake Superior basin.

The Great Lakes system flows to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence River.

As it flows from its westernmost point in Duluth, Minnesota to the Atlantic Ocean, the waterway drops in elevation approximately 600 feet.

The Hudson Strait makes a connection between the Labrador Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the northeast, while the Foxe Channel connects the Hudson Bay with the Arctic Ocean in the north. It is largely considered to be part of the Atlantic Ocean.

Grab a map like a scrunch map, and trace the path of Paddle To The Sea using a small object, how perfect was this little canoe?

This gives your child a better understanding of how our entire water system works together from tiny streams to large oceans and seas.

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

Paddle to The Sea Geography Ideas

Paddle To The Sea Craft

You will need:

  • Watercolor Paper
  • Paddle to the Sea Book
  • Watercolor paints
  • Paintbrushes
  • Copy paper
  • Pencil
  • Black fine line pen
  • Printed map
The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

First you want to print a map of whatever geographical area that you’re wanting to study and print it out.

I just happened to find the perfect map to go along with Paddle To The Sea here at the National Museum of Great Lakes book club.

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

Flip the map over and scribble all over the back with a freshly sharpened pencil, be sure to cover all the areas behind where you will be tracing your map.

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

Place your map, scribble side down on a piece of watercolor paper and secure it into place with a piece of masking tape or painters tape to keep it from sliding around.

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

Trace around your map outline with pencil and flip it up occasionally to be sure that you haven’t missed any key spots.

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

Remove the paper map and tape.

Now to add some fun color.

 Since this is a sea geography project start by water coloring all the

bodies of water like the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

Let your water dry and then start painting in the land.

Have your child color Canada one color and the United States a different color to help them differentiate where one ends and the other begins to grasp the geography of the area.

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

Once the entire painting is dry, they can label the bodies of land and water as well as use the fine line pen to outline the land and water to create definition.

The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft

16 Beautiful Picture Science Books for Kindergarteners

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Let’s fill up those bookshelves with quality beautiful picture science books for kindergarteners. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum.

You want to choose books that will last and be treasured for years to come as reference books, read aloud, and even inspiration for art.

These books should be a combination of nonfiction and fiction, biographies, nature study, and living books.

16 Beautiful Picture Science Books for Kindergarteners

And I also like to make sure some have real life images as well as beautiful illustrations.

But for the most part you want to selectively choose books that follow a few guidelines to make sure that you are getting 3 things.

They are the most bang for your buck-quality and content, books that will last for more than one quick lesson, and most important books that will engage and teach your kids in a fun way.

Gail Gibbons is always a go to, as are Julia Rothmans Anatomy series, The Big Book of series, as well as the Over and Under books. 

They create a lovely library of reference and read aloud books which will give your child more science knowledge than daily worksheets will.

I have 5 tips to help you choose your books and then an expansive list of 16 of my favorite picture science books for Kindergarteners.

5 Tips for Choosing Picture Science Books For Kindergarteners

  1. Choose beautifully illustrated oversized picture books that have small bits of information. Most children of this age only will be able to sit for small amounts of time and this is a great way to present the information by reading a bit while you look at the images. Eye catching illustrations will invite questions, investigation, and interest.
  2. Try to choose books that will have use far beyond the kindergarten years,books like the Nature Anatomy series and The Big Book of series have value that will last in my opinion at least through middle school for some reference and definitely as art inspiration when painting, putting together dioramas and more.
  3. Gather a variety to cover all the sciences in the early years. There are typically 3 types of science covered in kindergarten- physical, earth/space, and life science. Choose interesting books for each topic and theme. Concentrate more heavily on your child’s favorites like dinosaurs or bees.
  4. Select a mix of nonfiction, wordless picture books, read aloud, as well as books your child can read independently. Give them variety and make them accessible to your child, teaching them to care for their books.
  5. There are plenty of books out there now about the people of science-Ada Twist Scientist, Temple Grandin, and Eugenie Clark to name a few, don’t forget to choose some of these as well to inspire your child and highlight the contributions they made.
16 Beautiful Picture Science Books for Kindergarteners

Next, look at some kindergarten science activities to pair with the books.

Kindergarten Science Activities

16 Beautiful Picture Science Books for Kindergarteners

 I have done my best to give you a variety of topics, styles, and prices to help you create a wonderful science library made up of beautiful picture science books. Let’s dig in!