Duration: 15 minutes
SPIRIT Skills:
- Connectedness
- Curiosity
- Valuing people and nature
Brief Description:
Students do a quick pair-share about favourite cold treats, then hear the mission: make ice cream without a machine. They review hygiene/allergies and make a class “scientist promise” to work safely and kindly.
How does this develop particular SPIRIT skills
- Builds connectedness by helping students share personal ideas, listen to a partner, and feel part of a shared team mission
- Sparks sense of wonder/curiosity by inviting children to predict how “cold + shaking” could transform a liquid into ice cream
- Reinforces valuing people and nature by setting allergy-aware, hygienic, and respectful rules before touching materials.
What do we want to achieve regarding SPIRIT skill development (student understanding and/or behaviour)?
As a result of this activity, students will be able to:
- Connectedness: share an idea with a partner, listen respectfully, and use kind team language (“We can do it together”).
- Curiosity / wonder: say one “I wonder…” or prediction about what will happen to the mixture when it gets very cold.
- Valuing people and nature: follow one safety/hygiene rule that protects others (allergies, clean hands) and respects ingredients.
- Sense of wonder: express curiosity about how these teamwork habits will help them succeed in the bubble mission for the community.
Academic/Curriculum Objective connection
Introduces state change and sets an observation mindset.
Materials and tools needed for implementation
Visual aid (liquid → ice cream), team assignment cue, allergy checklist.
Preparation notes
Prepare simple visuals; confirm allergies; group students into teams.
Guided Questions
- “What do you think will happen when our mixture gets very cold?”
- “How will we work as a kind, fair team today?”
- “What rule keeps everyone safe and included?”
Stage Debriefing Questions (Optional)
- “What are you most curious about right now?”
Tips and Tricks for dealing with stage challenges
- Challenge: Some students don’t speak. Tip: sentence starters (“My favourite…”, “I wonder…”).
- Challenge: Students rush safety. Tip: “Science pause”—no materials until rules are repeated.