The Magic of Ice

Lesson 7: Freezing and Melting – The Science of Ice Cream

Unit Title: Exploring Material Science
Class Level: Years 3–4
Curriculum Area: Science – Material World, Level 2
Lesson Duration: 90 minutes
Class Size: 20 students
Location: Small rural school, Waikato

---

WALT

We Are Learning To:

• Understand how temperature change can cause physical changes in materials
• Observe and describe the process of freezing and melting
• Work as scientists by predicting, experimenting, and recording observations

---

Success Criteria

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
✅ Describe in their own words what happens when a liquid freezes into a solid (ice cream)
✅ Identify the materials and steps used to make ice cream through freezing
✅ Work collaboratively in a group to follow a scientific procedure
✅ Use simple scientific vocabulary: freeze, melt, solid, liquid, temperature, salt, observation

---

Key New Zealand Curriculum Links

Science Achievement Objective – Level 2 – Material World:

• Properties and changes of matter: Observe, describe, and compare physical and chemical properties of materials
• Participating and contributing: Appreciate that science is a way of explaining the world and that science knowledge can inform decision-making

---

Te Ao Māori Lens

In this lesson, ice cream making opens up wānanga about natural materials, traditional preservation through cooling, and working together (mahi tahi). Introduce basic te reo Māori terms such as:

• Hukapapa (freeze/frost)
• Hukapōro (ice cream)
• Wai (water)
• Whakarerekē (change)

---

Lesson Overview

Time	Activity	Purpose
10 min	Kōrero Tīmatanga – Welcome & Review	Connect to prior knowledge from last lesson (melting chocolate)
10 min	WALT & Safety Briefing	Introduce today’s learning goal and discuss safety
15 min	Predict & Prepare	Make predictions and prep ice cream materials
30 min	Hands-On Investigation – Making Ice Cream	Carry out the freezing experiment in small groups
10 min	Observation Journals & Discussion	Record observations and discuss physical changes
10 min	Reflection Circle – What did we notice?	Group discussion, te reo vocab, personal reflections
5 min	Clean up & Karakia Whakamutunga	Responsibility, closure

---

Detailed Breakdown

1. Kōrero Tīmatanga – Welcome & Review (10 min)

• Quick recap of last lesson: melting chocolate. What is melting?
• Class discussion: Have you ever seen ice cream being made? What do you think it starts as? What makes it freeze?
• Use a quick think-pair-share

📘 For diverse learners: Use picture cards to review vocabulary from last time (solid, liquid, heat). Use sentence starters like “I think…” or “I noticed…”

---

2. WALT & Safety Briefing (10 min)

• Introduce today’s WALT using simple language and visual schedule
• Talk about freezing – when something cools down enough to become a solid
• Introduce new science word: freezing point
• Go over safety with zip-lock bags, use of salt and cold ice, and sharing jobs in groups

📘 For learners with special learning needs: Use visuals, enlarged font WALT posters, and assign a buddy helper in each group

---

3. Predict & Prepare (15 min)

Materials per group of 4:

• 1 cup full cream milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 small zip-lock bag (sandwich size)
• 1 large zip-lock bag (gallon size)
• Ice cubes (enough to half-fill big bag)
• 6 tablespoons salt
• Tea towel or gloves (bags get cold!)
• Paper towels
• Worksheets for predictions & observations

Task:

• Students make predictions on what will happen when milk mixture is added and shaken in ice and salt bag
• Record in their journals/workbooks: “I think the milk will…”

📘 Dyslexia support:
Use audio recording option or buddy scribe. Provide a version of the worksheet with OpenDyslexic font or increased spacing and minimal colour distractions

---

4. Main Activity: Making Ice Cream (Hands-On Exploration – 30 min)

Instructions:

1. Students pour milk mixture into small bag and seal tightly
2. Fill large bag halfway with ice and sprinkle salt evenly
3. Place small bag inside large and seal both securely
4. Shake! For 5–7 minutes (use tea towel or gloves)
5. Open bag and observe – has it turned into ice cream?

🧪 Scientific Concept:
Salt lowers the freezing point of ice, causing the ice to melt but absorb heat from the milk mix — this causes freezing!

👫 Group structure:

• Group of 4 students
• Rotate jobs: Pourer, Recorder, Shaker, Checker
• Scaffold with step-by-step cards with visuals for each group

📘 Differentiation:

• Provide one-on-one aide time for learners who may need physical assistance shaking
• Hands-on visual timers to show when to stop and check progress

---

5. Observation Journals & Discussion (10 min)

• Guided observation: What did you feel? What changed?
• Use senses: Sight, touch, smell. Was it soft? Hard? Cold?
• Key Te Reo terms labelled on board with simple drawings
• Record on worksheet: “Before freezing...” “After freezing…”
  (Use symbols or sentence starters where helpful)

---

6. Reflection Circle – What Did We Notice? (10 min)

• Whole class sits in a circle, sharing one thing they observed
• Introduce whakataukī:
  “Mā te kimi ka kite, mā te kite ka mōhio, mā te mōhio ka mārama”
  (Seek and discover, discover and know, know and become enlightened)
• Connect learning to wider world – “Where else do we use freezing?” (frozen veggies, icy roads, preserving kai)

📘 Extension options for fast finishers:

• Draw a comic strip of the freezing process
• Research: How does an ice cream machine work?
• Compare to old Māori kai preservation techniques (smoking, drying)

---

7. Clean Up & Karakia Whakamutunga (5 min)

• Tidy stations, collect reflective journals
• Finish with a simple karakia thank you for the mahi and shared learning

---

Resources Needed

• Zip-lock bags in two sizes
• Milk, sugar, vanilla
• Ice cubes and salt
• Teatowels
• Prediction & observation worksheets
• Table coverings
• Gloves (optional for sensitive hands)

---

Differentiation Strategies

Learner Type	Strategy
Dyslexic	Use OpenDyslexic font worksheets, buddy scribes, oral instructions with visuals
ADHD	Job rotation in small groups, clearly timed tasks, stand/move allowed during shaking
ESOL	Use simplified sentence starters and labelled diagrams
Gifted	Provide science extension questions: "What would happen if…?", independent ice cream flavour exploration
Sensory-sensitive	Offer gloves, alternative non-contact roles in the group tasks
Kinaesthetic	Emphasis on the hands-on nature of the process, physical shaking, group roles

---

Teacher Reflection Prompt

• What did students find most surprising?
• Were students able to articulate the freezing process?
• Was the inclusion of te reo Māori natural and meaningful?
• How well did the hands-on structure support your students with learning support needs?

---

Next Lesson Preview – Lesson 8:
“Hot or Cold? Testing Materials & Temperatures” – Students will investigate which materials are the best insulators using frozen objects.

---

This lesson demonstrates that science can be delicious, multi-sensory, and connected to the heritage of Aotearoa. A celebration of curiosity, collaboration, and cool discoveries!