We’ve got the whole world in our hands

OVER the moon . . . Year 5 pupils Emma Slater and Malachy Handrick with the samples

PUPILS have been enjoying some out of this world lessons before the Christmas break.

Youngsters from SS Aiden and Oswald’s Primary got their hands on NASA samples of moon rock and soil collected during the Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972. The Royton school had to get security clearance to receive the lunar samples, which arrived in a padlocked case and had to be kept in a safe overnight!

The samples were given to the school for five days by the Science and Technology Facilities Council in Swindon — one of five sets on loan from NASA.

Year five teacher Charlotte German applied for the scheme after reading about it in a newspaper. And despite there usually being a 12-month waiting list, she was surprised to get in earlier when a week became free.

“The children loved it — they were so excited and couldn’t believe they had a piece of the Moon in their hands,” said Miss German. They came with microscopes so you could really look at them in detail.”