Ice Cream Unit Study

I scream.
You scream.
We all scream for ice cream!

Study ice cream? Don’t miss this opportunity! This Ice Cream unit study includes lessons for social studies, science, math, and language arts. Give your summer learning a boost with this fun study.

Ice Cream Unit Study Books

This Ice Cream unit study includes three main books:

• Ice Cream written by Elisha Cooper
• Ice Cream: Including Great Moments in Ice Cream History written by Jules Older
• Ice Cream Cones For Sale written by Elaine Greenstein 

Because this unit study was written several years ago, it may be hard to find the books. Once you download the unit study, you will see that many of the lessons and printables can still be used, even if you have to read different ice cream books. You could also try buying them used or finding them at your local library (possibly even through interlibrary loan).

Ice Cream Unit Study Lessons

Here are some of the lessons included in the Ice Cream unit study:

Social Studies: Time Line
There are many different stories about how ice cream might have been discovered or invented. The history outlined on the history/timeline page is based on information found in Ice Cream: Including Great Moments in Ice Cream History by Jules Older.

Discuss how it is very possible for more than one person to have a similar idea. This seems to be the case with the evolution of ice cream! One thing we know for sure is that it took a lot of people and many, many years of experimenting to perfect the balance of texture and flavor we come to expect from today’s ice cream.

There is also a trading card activity to work on alongside the timeline unit. Students will write down the name of the person, specific year this person was mentioned in the ice cream history timeline, what this person contributed to ice cream history and then can either print out a picture of the person or draw a picture on the trading card.

History and President Reagan
On July 9, 1984 President Ronald Reagan issued a special Presidential Proclamation declaring the month of July as National Ice Cream Month. Our United States law allows for the declaration of special selected public observances. These observances allow the President of the United States (“as designated by Congress or by discretion of the President”) to issue a declaration or proclamation in regards to a special occurrence. The President typically provides an explanation or reasoning behind the special occurrence. As the president does this, he calls on the people of the country to observe the day “with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

Language Arts: Poetry
Read and discuss the poem included in the unit study, “Bleezer’s Ice Cream,” by Jack Prelutsky. Do any of those flavors sound appetizing? Do any sound gross?

Use the form provided to encourage your student to write a similar style poem. You can type right on the form.

I am {insert name}
I run {insert last name}’s ice cream store
there are flavors in my freezer
you have never seen before,
{insert number} divine creations
too delicious to resist,
why not do yourself a favor,
try the flavors on my list: (add flavors)

Science: From Cow to Cone
The book Ice Cream outlines the steps to get milk from the cow to the cone. Discuss the process milk takes from the cow in the pasture to the cone in your home in six steps.

1. Milking
2. Transportation to Factory
3. Pasteurization and Processing
4. Flavoring
5. Freezing
6. Transportation to Store

You can grab a copy of the entire Ice Cream unit study in an easy-to-print file at the end of this post.

How to Get Started with the Ice Cream Unit Study

Follow these simple instructions to get started with the Ice Cream unit study:

1. Buy a copy of the ice cream unit study books or borrow them from your local library.
2. Print the Ice Cream unit study.
3. Choose the lessons you want to use with your student (a highlighter works great for this).
4. Choose and prepare the printables you want to use with your student.
5. Enjoy a week of learning and eating!

Download Your Ice Cream Unit Study and Printables

Simply click on the image below to grab your free Ice Cream Unit Study and Printables.

More Delicious Resources

If you enjoyed this Ice Cream unit study, try these resources for chocolate and pizza: