Module 1: Scoop

Have you ever wondered what the secret to your favourite scoop is? Why it’s soft and smooth instead of hard and icy?

Say kia ora to STEM superstars Rhys and Lisa to find out.

Ice cream goals

Using science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), your role is to find a sweet solution to our challenge pātai (question):

I wonder what makes ice cream yum?

To do this, you’re going to explore three ice cream goals.

1. Creamy
2. Scoopable
3. Flavourful

Meet your support crew

It takes a whole rōpū (team) to make a yummy ice cream. Your Wonder Project Ambassador and kaiako (teacher) are here to help you through each module of the challenge.

Say kia ora to your ambassador and whakarongo (listen) to their incredible STEM story.

Form your ice cream team!

Your first job is to get into a rōpū (team) of 3–6 classmates. A good rōpū is made up of heaps of different STEM experts who work together to plan, create and improve ice cream for people to enjoy.

Unpack your ice cream kit

The Wonder Project has hooked you up with an ice cream kit to get you started on your journey.

You’ll also need a few more things to help along the way:

• Fridge and freezer
• Electric beater
• Tray
• Tea towels or gloves

To figure out how to achieve your ice cream goals, you need to know the answer to another pātai… What actually is ice cream?

Ice cream ingredients

Do you remember the 5 ingredients that help make a yummy ice cream?

When these ingredients come together, they help STEM superstars meet their three goals – creamy, scoopable and flavourful!

Kiwis love ice cream. We eat more per person than almost anyone in the world. Why do you think that is?

It’s because we have some incredible ice cream innovators and ingredients, right on our doorstep.

Aotearoa ice cream innovation

The most important ingredient in ice cream, is cream.

Lucky for us, New Zealand cows make some of the best milk for creamy ice cream.

Check out how Fonterra gathers fresh milk from Aotearoa farmers, and turns it into world-class ice cream ingredients:

To find a solution to the challenge pātai and achieve your ice cream goals, you’re going to follow the scientific inquiry process. It’s a series of simple steps that scientists use to discover how things work and solve problems.

Ask

Scientists start their experiments by asking lots of pātai. They pick something they’re curious about, then think about how to use science to understand it better.

If you created a perfect ice cream mixture in a dirty bowl, you might end up with a mouldy mess. Enter, microorganisms.

Microorganisms are things like bacteria, yeast, mould or viruses. Food microbiology is the study of microorganisms in food.

Sometimes microorganisms can be helpful, like the yeast in your bread or the bacteria in your cheese. But some microorganisms are not as friendly and can make us sick.

Food safety

That’s why food safety should be your number one priority in the Ice Cream Challenge!

Put up the food safety poster and have a class kōrero about how to stay food safe.

Mīharo. Today you:

• Unpacked your ice cream kit
• Learned your three ice cream goals
• Discovered the science behind ice cream
• Discussed ice cream ingredients
• Explored the scientific inquiry process
• Learned about microbiology and food safety