ROME TOWNSHIP - Fairland students may not be able to blast off to the moon, but pieces of the moon will be coming to them.

As part of "Space Week" in the Fairland Local School District, moon rocks and other space artifacts provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration will be on display at the schools this week, including a chance for the public to see the exhibit.

In addition to the lunar rocks, the NASA exhibit includes a model of the lunar landing module, a space suit, a Saturn 5 rocket model and much more.

The exhibit, sponsored by a grant through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program and Classic Banks in Proctorville, will travel to all schools in the district this week.

A free, public presentation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the high school cafetorium.

"We feel real honored and feel this is a real opportunity for our students, especially with the renewed interest in space travel, the president's push for another manned mission and the Mars rover expedition," said Sandy Joseph, Fairland's 21st Century Coordinator.

The teachers have received curriculum packets to help prepare the students. The third-grade students have been making rockets that they will launch themselves. Fairland High School students had the chance to talk directly to NASA scientists last week via a distance learning project.

To make this an event they will not forget, all the students will receive a NASA emblem sticker and a commemorative lapel pin with the NASA emblem.

Students will also get a taste of space life as they sample some freeze-dried ice-cream that astronauts eat.

"I thought the kids would really enjoy and remember this if they could taste some of the space food," Joseph said.

The district has been working on this project since June. High school science teacher Ron King attended training sessions at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland so that he could become certified

to make the presentations.

Though Space Week ends next Monday, the learning will continue. The 21st Century Grant also provided funds for the district to purchase books and CD-ROMs about space, the moon, the Apollo program and more materials for all four libraries.

Joseph emphasized that this is a unique opportunity for students and the community to see a collection of objets "that are considered national treasures."