From Snow to Cones: The Cool History of Ice Cream
Imagine a scorching hot day in the middle of July. The sun is beating down, and you are looking for something to cool you off. Suddenly, you hear the familiar jingle of a music box coming down the street. It is the ice cream truck! Today, we think of ice cream as a common snack found in every grocery store freezer. However, this frozen treat has a long and surprising history that spans thousands of years and many different continents.
Long before modern freezers existed, people found creative ways to enjoy chilled treats. Historians believe that the earliest versions of ice cream began in ancient China. As far back as 200 BC, people mixed milk and rice and froze the mixture by packing it into snow. In other parts of the world, like the Roman Empire, emperors sent runners into the mountains to collect fresh snow. This snow was flavored with honey, nuts, and fruit juices to create a refreshing snack similar to what we call shaved ice today.
- Luxury:
- Something that is expensive or hard to get and is not a basic need.
- Manual labor:
- Physical work done by hand rather than by machines.
- Refrigeration:
- The process of keeping food or drinks cold to keep them fresh.
- Churn:
- To stir or shake something with force to change its texture.
- Morale:
- The level of cheerfulness and confidence of a person or group.
- socialize:
- To spend time interacting and talking with other people in a friendly, enjoyable way.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
Practice words from the passage with a printable worksheet.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
Ready to use this passage in class?
Start free with the Mixed worksheet and 3 PDF downloads each week. Focused skill sets depend on plan.
Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What were the ingredients used in the earliest versions of ice cream in ancient China?
- 2How did Roman emperors obtain the snow needed for their chilled treats?
Where this passage belongs
You Might Also Like
About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“From Snow to Cones: The Cool History of Ice Cream” is a explanatory article reading passage about Ice Cream History, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 4 minutes to read (565 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.