Celebrate World Space Week - Women in Space
Research and create a colorful poster featuring notable women in space, write short bios, add drawings, and present your discoveries to classmates.
About this tutorial
Research and create a colorful poster featuring notable women in space, write short bios, add drawings, and present your discoveries to classmates.
What you need
Instructions
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Step 1
Choose 3 to 6 women in space that you want to feature on your poster.
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Step 2
Use a computer or books to look up basic facts about each woman like her job mission and a big achievement.
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Step 3
Write three important facts for each woman on a scrap piece of paper for your notes.
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Step 4
Turn your notes into a short 2 to 3 sentence bio for each woman on separate sticky notes or index cards.
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Step 5
Place your poster board on a flat surface and use a pencil and ruler to lightly draw where the title pictures and bios will go.
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Step 6
Write a big colourful title at the top of the poster that says something like Women in Space or World Space Week.
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Step 7
Draw a small portrait or a space-themed picture next to each bio area using your colouring materials.
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Step 8
Trim any printed photos or magazine images you want to use and arrange them on the poster to match each bio.
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Step 9
Glue your bios photos and drawings onto the poster in the places you planned.
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Step 10
Add labels under each photo or drawing with the person’s name and year of their mission or achievement.
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Step 11
Write a short 1 to 2 minute presentation script on a separate sheet that explains why each woman is important.
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Step 12
Practice your presentation aloud twice so you feel confident and ready to share.
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Step 13
Share your finished poster and what you learned by posting it on DIY.org
Fun facts
How do I do the "Women in Space" poster activity for World Space Week?
Start by choosing 4–6 notable women in space (astronauts, engineers, scientists). Research short, child-friendly facts and one key achievement for each. Plan a colorful layout: headline, portraits, bios, and fun facts or timeline. Draw or print images, write concise bios (2–3 sentences each), and decorate with stars or mission patches. Practice a 1–2 minute presentation per student highlighting one discovery. Finish by citing sources and displaying the posters for classmates to view.
What materials do I need for a World Space Week poster about women in space?
You’ll need a poster board or large paper, colored markers, pencils, crayons or watercolor paints, scissors and glue. Bring printed photos or reference images, sticky notes for planning, ruler for neat layout, and index cards for short bios. Optional: stickers, stencils, metallic pens, a printer for high-quality images, and access to books or a supervised internet device for research. Keep a list of sources for accuracy and classroom sharing.
What ages is the "Women in Space" poster activity suitable for?
This activity fits ages 7–14 best. Younger children (5–7) can participate with simplified tasks: choose one woman, trace pictures, and dictate short bios to an adult. Older children and teens can perform deeper research, include mission dates and technical contributions, or create digital posters and timelines. Always provide supervision for internet research and adjust reading or writing expectations to match each child’s ability level.
What are the benefits of doing a Women in Space poster project for World Space Week?
Creating a poster about women in space builds research skills, reading comprehension, and concise writing. It promotes STEM interest, highlights role models, and boosts confidence through public speaking during presentations. The art component strengthens fine motor skills and creativity, while group displays encourage teamwork and classroom discussion about diversity in science. This activity connects history, science, and creativity, inspiring curiosity about space careers and future learning.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
If I don't have poster board or sticky notes, what can we use instead?
If you don't have poster board, use a large piece of cardboard or a flattened cereal box covered with plain paper, and substitute sticky notes or index cards with cut squares of printer paper for your 2–3 sentence bios.
What should we do if the photos or bios won't stay in the places we planned?
If photos or bios slide or the layout looks off, follow the 'place your poster board on a flat surface and use a pencil and ruler to lightly draw' step to re-space elements and temporarily secure trimmed photos with removable tape before applying glue.
How can we change this activity for younger or older kids?
For younger kids, choose 1–3 women, have an adult help look up facts and let them make big drawings with single-sentence bios on index cards, while older kids can feature 4–6 women, include mission years under each photo and expand each sticky-note bio to three sentences and practice the presentation more than twice.
What are some ways to make the poster more special or challenging?
To enhance the poster, add a timeline strip with each woman's mission year (as in the label step), attach small battery LED lights behind portrait cutouts for a space glow, and include a QR code linking to your online sources before posting on DIY.org.