Students investigate the energy released by a peanut and a piece of a walnut. In this catabolism and calories lesson plan, students burn a peanut and a piece of a walnut and measure the temperature of the water before burning and after burning the food items using the apparatus. Students also burn oil with a piece of string soaked in it and measure the change in water temperature using the same apparatus. Students calculate the calories in the peanut, walnut and oil.