As part of our healthy schools initiative, Year 4 visited www.salt.gov.uk

and gathered lots of useful information regarding children’s intake of salt.

We then thought up and carried out some investigations into the salt content of three varieties of crisps. The children worked in small groups to test saltiness using methods such as taste, counting grains and using the information on the packets. One group thought they would be able to work out the saltiest crisps through smell. Before testing, the children predicted the “low fat” crisps would have the lowest salt content.

Afterwards, we looked at the results and decided which tests produced the most reliable data. The children spotted the flaws in many of the investigation methods used and were very surprised to find “low fat” did not mean “low salt”.

The lesson took a whole morning and generated an interest in reading the back of food packets which continues today

Elizabeth Smith is a primary teacher who is on a short career break