Science · Our senses
Rough & smooth
Feel and describe textures.
What is texture?
Texture is how something feels when you touch it. Your skin has tiny feelers that help you notice. Some things feel smooth like a mirror. Other things feel rough like tree bark. You can touch and describe what you feel!
Rough textures
Rough means bumpy and not flat when you touch. A brick wall feels rough. Sandpaper feels very rough. Tree bark is rough too. Run your finger along slowly and gently. Can you feel the little bumps?
Smooth textures
Smooth means flat with no bumps when you touch. A clean window feels smooth. A balloon feels smooth. A shiny apple feels smooth. Your finger slides easily across smooth things. Try touching your desk!
Describing what you feel
Use words to tell others about textures. Is it bumpy or flat? Does it have lumps? Is it soft or hard? Soft is not the same as smooth! A teddy is soft but not smooth. Good scientists use lots of describing words.
Worked examples
1. Feel a piece of sandpaper. Is it rough or smooth?
- Touch the sandpaper gently with one finger.
- Do you feel bumps or is it flat?
- Sandpaper has lots of tiny bumps.
- It is rough!
2. Feel a glass bottle. Is it rough or smooth?
- Carefully touch the side of the glass bottle.
- Does your finger bump along or slide easily?
- The glass is flat with no bumps.
- It is smooth!
3. Feel a piece of tree bark. Describe the texture.
- Gently touch the bark on the tree.
- Feel the bumps and lumps on it.
- Bark is not flat at all.
- We say bark is rough and bumpy.
Try it yourself
Find something in your classroom that feels smooth. Touch it and check.
Ready to test yourself?
Take a short topic test — every question maps to a syllabus point so you’ll see exactly which parts you’ve mastered.