CLOTHING TEXTURES                                       7-B5

Preparation: (30 minutes)

You will need fabric swatches that feel soft, rough, smooth, slippery and silky.   Suggestions:

soft                   rough              smooth                    silky
slippery              hard               velvet                     burlap
chintz                 silk                  leather                   buttons
flannel                zippers            buckles                  scarves 
vinyl                  snaps              T-shirts                   straw
leather              rayon                plastic                  

1. Make texture cards using the names and a corresponding fabric swatch or item.
2. Also have a paper bag or large box handy.

Activity:
1.  Display the fabric swatches, fasteners, and clothing items.  Give the children a few minutes to look, touch, and comment on the assortment.
2.   Pick up several fabrics and pass them around to the children asking them, "How does it feel?"  Point out the texture words.  Ask, "Which one is it like?  Help the children sort the samples by texture.
3.   Place several items in the bag/box.  One at a time, have the children reach in and describe the texture without looking.  Once he/she has identified the texture category, have him/her pull the item out of the bag/box and get feedback from the class.
4.   Ask the children to look around the room or at their own clothes.  "Is there anything that might be smooth?  Rough?  Soft? Etc.
5.   To challenge older children, play "I Spy" using texture words.   

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