Period 1 brought a burst of curiosity and excitement as Year 7 explored how much energy different foods contain. The class carried out a hands‑on practical where they burned samples of food, in this case, different crisps to see how much they could heat a measured amount of water.

What the students learned

• Different foods contain different amounts of energy
• Burning food transfers energy as heat
• Heating water allows us to measure that energy change
• Repeating tests helps calculate a reliable mean temperature rise

Energy in food can be calculated using the formula:

Energy (J)=mass of water (g)×temperature rise (°C)×4.2

The room was full of enthusiasm as students compared which crisp produced the biggest temperature increase. The students were fully engaged, asking thoughtful questions and working brilliantly as young scientists. It was a wonderful example of practical learning bringing theory to life.