Teach preschool students about texture by simply having them touch objects with different textures. Have students explain what each object feels like and group objects with similar textures together. For example, students would group items, such as tree bark, sandpaper and a pot scrubber, together because they each have a rough texture. For elementary students, place objects of different textures in paper bags and have students try to identify the objects by their textures. Ask students to record which objects were most commonly identified and draw conclusions based on that information. For example, students may determine that objects with a smooth texture were correctly identified by students as opposed to objects with a grainy texture.
With older elementary students, experiment with how texture affects a surface. Create a basic ramp out of a piece of cardboard then roll a large marble or ping pong ball down it. Add sand to the ramp then roll the marble down it. Continue to use materials with different textures, such as foil, wax paper, bubble wrap and syrup, to the ramp and roll the marble down it. Have students time each roll of the marble then record the time, surface and changes in the movement of the marble to draw conclusions about how texture affects a surface.
Soil experiments help older elementary and middle school students understand the different types of soil that exist and what plants grow best in each type. Have students mix their own textured soil by adding sand, clay or small rocks to potting soil. Compare the texture of soil from different places, such as the playground, a student's backyard, the bottom of a compost heap and bagged potting soil from a garden center. Plant seeds in each type of soil and monitor their growth to determine whether the soil texture affects plant growth.
Conduct experiments related to food texture with middle and high school students. Take an ingredient, such as peanut butter or chocolate, and experiment with the texture by heating and cooling it. Experiment with recipes to see whether substitutions change the texture of the final product. For example, bake a cake with different types of flour or substitute the oil in a recipe with applesauce. Encourage students to develop their own experiments with texture, such as determining what happens to the texture of ice cream when it melts and is frozen again or how the texture of bread changes based on whether it is stored in the fridge, cupboard or a bread box.