FREE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS VIA EMAIL

Excitng ~ Hands on ~ Experiments will be emailed during the year with all directions, supplies, vocabulary and more.

HANDS ON SCIENCE

I Hear & I Forget
I See & I Remember
I DO &
I UNDERSTAND

ICE CREAM ~ THE SCIENCE WAY

Welcome to Spectrum of Science Foundation’s Summer Science Experiments. Ice Cream ~ The Science Way will allow you to work with the Scientific Method to create ice cream in a baggie. Follow the Scientific Method to create, discover and EAT your very own ice cream. No mess, no fuss! Send us photos and your results. We would love to know what type of cream taste best, creates the creamiest ice cream and what does not work. Be sure to test, experiment and report.

HAVE FUN AND LET THE LEARNING BEGIN!!

SUPPLIES/INGREDIENTS

4oz of half & half or coffee mate
1 tbls sugar or 2 packets of sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 good squirt ~ chocolate/strawberry etc
rock salt
1 sandwich baggie - ziplock
1 gallon baggie - ziplock
ice - ice

VOCABULARY WORDS

Scientific Method: Is a process for experimentation that is used to answer questions and explore observations. Scientists use an experiment to search for cause and effect relationships in nature. In other words, they design an experiment so that changes to one item cause something else to vary in a predictable way. These changing quantities are called variables. Variables are a key element of the scientific method.
Energy: The ability to due work
Freezing Point: For any given liquid, the temperature at which the liquid changes state from a liquid to a solid.

SAFETY TIPS: Salt will be on the outside of the baggie, be sure to wash the baggie before you eat the ice cream and rinse your hands.

WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD?

The Scientific Method is a process for experimentation that is used to answer questions and explore observations. Scientists use an experiment to search for cause and effect relationships in nature. In other words, they design an experiment so that changes to one item cause something else to vary in a predictable way. These changing quantities are called variables. Variables are a key element of the scientific method.

1. Ask a Question: What is it that you are trying to achieve? Explain why you selected the project. You will answer the question by conducting an experiment. The question should not be asked in the form of a yes/no question.

Possible Questions
What happens when the ingredients listed are added into a baggie and shaken for 3 minutes?
What happens if I use half & half or coffee mate or cream or milk to make Ice Cream – The Science Way?
How do they differ?
Does the ice cream taste different?

2. Create a Hypothesis: A hypothesis is an educated guess or prediction as to what will happen when you test your question. Your experiment will prove or disprove your hypothesis. You do not need to know the answer to your question to ask it!! You do not have to prove your question correct. We learn lots from finding out your question was incorrect. The important thing is to use the Scientific Method and good science.

Bad Example: Using cream in the ice cream recipe will not work
Good Example: I think by adding 2 table spoons of  cream to my ice cream recipe will make a better tasting ice cream versus using just skim milk

3. Make a Plan & Test Your Hypothesis:

A. Add all ingredients but rock salt to the sandwich baggie & seal tightly
B. Add rock salt & ice to gallon baggie
C. Put sealed sandwich baggie in gallon baggie with salt & ice
D. SHAKE, SHAKE & SHAKE (about 3 to 5 minutes)

HINTS:
Make sure the sandwich ziplock in completely closed - you don't want salt in your ice cream!!!
Wipe off the sandwich baggie before you open and eat your ice cream!~!

ADDITIONAL TESTS – change a variable
A. Using the same recipe & ingredients, change the container variable, try 2 different size coffee cans or butter containers
B. Using the same containers, change the variable, the liquid cream

4. Results: Explain what happened during the tests. Chart & graph the results. Tell the audience what happened! Does your result prove or disprove your hypothesis?

5. Conclusion: This is your opportunity to explain the meaning of your results. Did your experiment support your hypothesis? Does additional research need to be conducted? How did your experiment address your initial question and purpose? What can you count on happening again if someone else does a similar experiment?

SCIENCE EXPLANATION
Ice has to absorb energy in order to melt, changing the state of water from a solid to a liquid. When you use ice to cool the ingredients for ice cream, the energy is absorbed from the ingredients and from the outside environment (like your hands, if you are holding the baggie of ice!). When you add salt to the ice, it lowers the freezing point of the ice, so even more energy has to be absorbed from the environment in order for the ice to melt. This makes the ice colder than it was before, which is how your ice cream “freezes”. Ideally, you would make your ice cream using 'ice cream salt', which is just salt sold as large crystals instead of the small crystals you see in table salt. The larger crystals take more time to dissolve in the water around the ice, which allows for even cooling of the ice cream.

HAVE FUN & LET THE LEARNING CONTINUE!!

Miss Amy