Probes have landed on Mars, Venus and Saturn’s moon Titan. They have carried out analysis and sent back information about the rocks.

The rocks found on the Moon and Mars are also found on Earth. This activity allows your students to make their own collection of space rocks by using Earth examples.

The slides on the PowerPoint can be printed out back-to back on card; four on a sheet, picture and rocks on one side, information about each specimen on the other.   Smash up the harder rocks before the lesson into small samples (1-2cm).   Students could be allowed to break up their own samples of softer rocks like sandstone and limestone. Make sure they wear safety spectacles! They should use glue to attach the samples to the card above the names.   A hot glue gun is ideal for this as it sets quickly but other thick adhesives should work. Moon and Mars dust can be made by pulverising basalt with a hammer (just imagine you’re a meteorite going at forty thousand miles an hour).