Local primary school ‘Borrows the Moon’ to inspire children in science

Students at Birstall Primary Academy in Batley have this month had the opportunity to get their hands on rare samples of moon rocks and meteorites which were truly out of this world

These rare samples were provided to school through a project called ‘Borrow the Moon’ by the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) which provides educational packs in a bid to inspire young people in Science.

Hundreds of schools, colleges, universities, museums and astronomical societies throughout the UK have enjoyed the meteorite samples and NASA Moon rock discs since the scheme began.

The children were encouraged to reach for the stars and learn more about the universe around us during a week-long interactive experience of astronomy. They were given the unique opportunity to touch a piece of a space rock not of this Earth as they handled genuine meteorites.

The pack provided by STFC included a 1.2bn year old piece of Mars rock and 4.3bn year old nickel meteorite. It is unlikely that children will ever get the chance to hold an object older than this, as Earth itself was formed 4.6bn years ago.

The lunar samples that we received were collected in the late 1960s and early 70s during some of NASA’s first manned space missions to the moon.

Jayde Weir, interim principal at Birstall Primary Academy, said: “When the opportunity was presented to us at Birstall we leapt at the chance to give out students this once in a lifetime opportunity.

“All the children involved thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were fascinated to be able to touch something that was truly out of this world.”

Birstall Primary Academy forms part of Focus-Trust – a charitable primary schools trust which is based in the North West of England and West Yorkshire with a vision of providing ‘great schools at the heart of our communities’ where children thrive, achieve and succeed.