Here’s an activity that will brighten up your space-themed classroom! Give students the opportunity to practise their problem solving skills as they assemble 3D object nets while also exploring an outer space theme.

Students decorate their astronaut template in any way they wish. After cutting out the template, students make all the folds and then begin gluing (a combination of sticky tape and glue works best).

Two versions of the astronaut are provided. The lower years version includes a cube and a trapezoidal prism (which is slightly different to a rectangular prism, in that it includes two trapezoids).

The upper years version includes the following 3D objects:

• 1 cube
• 3 rectangular prisms
• 1 trapezoidal prism.

Encourage discussion about the inclusion of the (unusual) trapezoidal prism in this template design. (The astronaut would not stand easily if a rectangular prism had been used for the body).

Your outer space classroom display could take many forms. Stand your astronauts on an imaginary moonscape or suspend them so that they’re flying through the classroom!

Other Teaching Ideas for this Printable Astronaut Template

• Use the astronaut as a writing stimulus. Students could write a narrative set in outer space with their astronaut as the main character.
• Have students write a character profile about their astronaut.
• Using our Nets of 3D Objects, students create a range of other characters to dramatise a Space story.
• Have students examine the 3D Object Astronaut Template to identify the 2D shapes in the 3D objects.
• Assemble and decorate the template as a simple craft activity.

Take a look at some of our other space-themed resources below:

teaching resource

Astronaut Template

A set of four astronaut templates to use for space-themed displays in your classroom.

teaching resource

Funky Astronaut Craft Template

A fun craft activity using an astronaut with funky accessories.