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Lady Day Learning! Billie Holiday History Lesson for Kids

January 13, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’ve always been passionate about Black history in our family. In fact, most of American music history includes accomplishments by amazing black musicians and artists.

Which is why we try to teach our kids about Black jazz musicians from an early age.

And there’s no way to talk about early American jazz without discussing Billie Holiday. She was a true pioneer of songwriting, performing, and vocal styling.

So I thought this mini Billie Holiday history lesson would be a great resource to share for your Black history lessons too!

Elementary Billie Holiday History Lesson

This is an excellent resource for Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Jazz History Month, and more!

Plus, it’s a short lesson with simple activities, so you can use it without needing time to prep it in advance.

Teaching Elementary Students about Billie Holiday

Need a digital copy for distance learning? There’s one of those too!

Read on to get yours.

And, for more about the work of Black musicians, don’t miss our We Got Jazz! Black History Thematic Unit!

Learn about the life and legacy of one of the first ladies of jazz with this Billie Holiday elementary history lesson!

Lady Day Learning! Mini Billie Holiday History Lesson for Kids

To use the printable Billie Holiday resource, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

This Black history resource includes a two-page biography about the life and legacy of Billie Holiday.

How to Teach Elementary Students about Billie Holiday

Three comprehension activities are also included – a fill-in-the-blank exercise, a word unscramble, and a timeline sequencing activity.

Answer keys are included for each review activity.

And there’s a blackline version of the biography too!

How to Teach Elementary Students about Billie Holiday

To begin this lesson, start by reading the biography through with your class.

Elementary Billie Holiday Lesson for Kids

If you use the blackline version, kids can color in the pictures as you read.

Then begin the review activities.

Depending on the age of your students, you may wish to complete the fill-in-the-blank exercise as a group.

Then you can send the word unscramble and sequencing activities along as homework.

Printable Billie Holiday History Lesson for Kids

Use the answer keys to make grading a snap!

Get a closer look at this resource in the video below!

Digital Billie Holiday History Lesson for Elementary

Are you using digital resources with your students this year? This product is also available in a digital version!

Digital History Lesson about Billie Holiday

In this digital Billie Holiday history activity, which is compatible with Google Slides, students can read the biography of her life and career.

Billie Holiday Digital History Lesson for Elementary

Then answer the review questions by typing directly on the slides!

Digital versions of the word unscramble and timeline sequencing activities are included too.

And there’s a separate answer key for you to use when grading.

Scroll down to get this elementary Billie Holiday history lesson for your students!

Check out these other Black history learning ideas!

20 Fascinating Books about Black Inventors and Scientists for Kids to Read - Perfect for Black History Month!

We Got Jazz Elementary Digital and Print Unit for Kids

Learn about the life and legacy of Ruby Bridges with this elementary Ruby Bridges history lesson!

Grab the digital version of this Billie Holiday activity in my Teachers Pay Teachers store! You can also get the print and digital versions as a bundle!

>> Digital Billie Holiday History Lesson <<

To get your copy of Lady Day Learning!, a Billie Holiday elementary lesson, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store or check it out below!

Arctic Animals Handwriting Practice Sheets for Kids

January 9, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Who all remembers having the D’Nealian handwriting border around the top of the classroom wall?

I spent many afternoons tracing those letters in the air while I was bored in second grade.

We always learned D’Nealian penmanship because it made for an easier transition into cursive writing in later grades.

These days, though, students generally learn to print straight letters, because cursive isn’t used as much any more.

Instead of a regular old handwriting practice sheet, though, I thought it would be fun to share a set of wintry-themed Arctic Animals handwriting practice printables!

These would be a fun addition to a winter thematic unit, especially if you’re learning about the Arctic!

Read on to see how to get your set! And, for more fun with Arctic Animals, don’t miss our Polar Animals Pattern Activity!

Arctic Animals Handwriting Practice for Kids

To use these Arctic Animals handwriting practice printables, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper (I used Astrobright paper)
Pencils
Laminator (optional)

This product includes 26 letter handwriting practice sheets – one for each letter of the alphabet featuring both uppercase and lowercase letters.

There are also five Arctic animal name handwriting practice sheets included.

Print these and hand them out for daily penmanship practice.

Or you could laminate them and use them with dry erase markers in morning tubs or at centers!

Scroll down to get your set of Arctic Animal handwriting practice sheets!

Check out these other winter-themed learning ideas!

Follow my Winter Activities for Kids board on Pinterest for more inspiration!

To get your copy of our Arctic Animals Handwriting Practice printables, pick up the set from my Teachers Pay Teachers store! Click the link or the image below to get them.

>>> Arctic Alphabet Handwriting Practice Sheets – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

Build A Snowman Winter Art Activity for Kids

January 6, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We live in the Deep South. In fact, I’ve always lived down here.

So I’ve built a snowman in real life…a total of one time. Even then, we ended up using a broken clothes hanger for the mouth, because we didn’t have coal.

But I still try to get in on the winter snowman fun with students.

And this fun Roll A Snowman winter art activity is great for indoor wintry-themed game play!

It’s a quick activity to set up and you can let students play it at centers or small groups!

Read on to see how to get your copy free! And, for more fun with snowmen, don’t miss our easy Coffee Filter Snowman Craft for kids!

Build A Snowman Winter Art Activity for Kids

To use this build a snowman roll and color winter art activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

To get started, simply print the snowman coloring sheet and the six-sided paper die.

The die is color-coded, so students can see which colors to use on each part of the snowman.

Tip: I like to use cardstock for this activity, because the die holds up better for rolling when it’s printed on heavier paper.

Cut out the six-sided die, being sure to leave the foldable flaps in place. You’ll need to fold them in as you put the die together.

Use double-sided tape or a glue stick to assemble the die and then you’re good to go!

As students take turns rolling the die, they can color the section of the snowman as shown on the cube.

The last one to finish the snowman wins!

You can also use it as an individual activity and let early finishers work on this in between subjects.

Scroll down to get your copy of this Roll A Snowman Winter Art Activity – free!

Take a look at these other winter-themed learning ideas!

And be sure to follow my Winter Activities for Kids Pinterest board for more tips!

To get your copy of our Roll A Snowman Winter Art Activity, head over to my Teachers Pay Teachers store! It’s a downloadable freebie there.

Click the image or the link below to grab it!

>>> Roll A Snowman Winter Art Activity <<<

Printable Indoor Family Night Scavenger Hunt Cards

December 30, 2019 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

Family night is a wonderful way to spend quality time with the kids, especially after everyone’s had a busy week.

If you’re not careful, though, family night can end up being a movie and a snack….every single time.

How can you keep family time fun, even when the kids are little? An indoor scavenger hunt!

This is a perfect activity for burning off energy, particularly when the weather isn’t awesome.

And that’s why these printable indoor family night scavenger hunt cards are so great!

These scavenger hunt cards make it easy to organize an indoor hunt without too much work.

Plus, they feature adorable little rhymes that the kids can use to find each clue and eventually win the prize!

Read on to see how to get your set free! And for more ways to spend family night, don’t miss this roundup of fun family night ideas to try!

Printable Indoor Family Night Scavenger Hunt Cards

To use these family night scavenger hunt cards, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper
Scissors
Laminator (optional)

This set includes 16 cards in all.

Each card contains a short clue written in rhyme form, so they’ll be easy for the kids to remember as they search.

All you’ll need to do is to read each clue, tape or hide the next clue in location described, and let the kids have at it!

To start the game, just read off the very first card.

From there, the kids can find each clue that follows by reading the directions.

Of course, if your kids are very young, you might want to give them a hand.

If you feel the hunt is a little too long for your little ones, just shorten it by removing some of the cards in the middle and saving them for another day.

Once they find the YAY! card, they’re done! Then they can get a fun prize. Goodie bag prizes are great for this, by the way.

How to Have an Indoor Family Scavenger Hunt

You’ve got the cards all printed, but how do you actually have the scavenger hunt with the kids?

A good time to set it up is at night when the kids are asleep.

If they see you sticking these cards around, they’ll be tempted to get a head start before you’re ready.

Trust me. It’s exactly what my kids did.

You can use masking tape to stick the cards in the right place, if you like. Or you can simply lean them up against a wall or an object in the same area.

If you want the kids to try this on their own, read each clue with them and then see what area of the house they try to search in.

Be sure to keep it accessible for each child’s age.

If your children are small, you might want to avoid areas with sharp objects, like the silverware drawer.

My kids are a bit older, so they’re fine to open the drawer on their own.

If they were younger, though, I think I would take out a wooden or plastic utensil and just place the card near that instead.

How you set this up is really up to you.

As long as you and your kids are able to play the game together and keep it fun and safe, it’s a win!

Scroll down to get your copy of our printable indoor family night scavenger hunt cards!

Don’t miss these other indoor play ideas for kids!

To get your copy of our printable indoor family night scavenger hunt cards, click the image or the link below to download them to your computer!

>> Family Night Indoor Scavenger Hunt Cards <<

Free Printable Flashcards: Long Vowel Flashcards

December 19, 2019 by Selena Robinson 6 Comments

Time for another set of free printable flashcards! Piglet is doing great with recognizing her letters, so it’s time to work on letter sounds.

I’m not a GIANT fan of teaching phonics, but you know what? They work. Especially if kids don’t really “get” sight words.

So, today we’re sharing another set of literacy flashcards: Long Vowel Flashcards!

Read on to get your set – free!

And if you love using these, be sure to grab our printable short vowel flashcards too!

Free Printable Flashcards: Long Vowel Flashcards

To use these long vowel flashcards, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are provided here for convenience. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper
Scissors
Laminator (great for keeping the cards sturdy)

This product includes flashcards for all five long vowel sounds: A, E, I, O, and U. In the product, you’ll find:

A set of cards with pictures and long vowel words for each letter
A set of cards with pictures and vowel letters
A set of cards with just the pictures
A set of cards with just the vowels
And a set of cards with just the long vowel words

These are set up to be used as kids learn to memorize the sounds.

So if you’re just starting out, you might use the cards that have the images and words to make sure kids know what each picture shows.

Once they recognize the images, they can move on to isolating the vowel sounds in each word. That’s a great time to focus on the pictures with the letters.

After they get the sounds down, try quizzing them with the word or letter cards!

Scroll down to get your copy of our Printable Long Vowel Flashcards!

More Resources for Learning Long Vowel Sounds:

Don’t miss our other early reading resources!

To get your copy of our free Long Vowel Flashcards, sign up for our email newsletter to have them sent directly to your inbox! Just click the image or the link below to get started.

NOTE: If you have a pop-up blocker installed in your web browser, disable it in order to see the email address box when it appears.

>>> Long Vowel Printable Flashcards <<<

3 Easy Ways to Stop Kids from Arguing

December 16, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

If you have more than one child, I don’t have to tell you how often kids get into arguments at home.

You already know.

My brother and I argued growing up and there were ten years between us, so when I tell you that our four children are all between the ages of 7 and 15, you can imagine what a typical weeknight is like.

We’ve been at this parenting thing for nearly 16 years and we’ve finally found a few easy ways to stop kids from arguing that I thought might be helpful for others.

After all, when the kids are very small, they only argue about toys or elbow room. It’s when they get older that the real conflicts begin.

Read on to see these tips for yourself! And, for more help with parenting in the early years, take a look at five ways to help preschoolers manage their emotions!

3 Easy Ways to Stop Kids from Arguing

Image c/o: monkeybusiness & lufimorgan / depositphotos

Empathize with your kids.

When there’s more than one child in a family, it’s easy for each one to feel that they need to fight for your attention as a parent. It may not be true, but depending on the situation, that’s how the kids may feel.

We can put a damper on many arguments between the kids when we try to see things from their point of view. Then make sure the kids know that we care about their feelings and want to include them as we got forward.

Hold a family forum each week.

Choose one weeknight to hold a regular family forum. This is a time when each child gets to talk about the things that are bothering him or her.

During the forum, each person can speak freely and openly about frustrations, problems, fears, or anything else that has been weighing on their mind. If the kids are getting into arguments about the same issue, the family forum is a good time to address it.

It’s important to keep the environment during the family meeting positive. Focus on hearing everyone’s viewpoint and then compromising to solve the problem. Then agree on a strategy to follow moving forward.

It may even be helpful to post the strategy in writing as a reminder for how to defuse the argument next time.

Be sure to check on how everyone is doing with the plan at the next meeting!

Be consistent.

We have to parent each child differently, considering their age, disposition, and level of responsibility. Which means that nothing will ever be “fair” between them.

However, we can insist that each child follow the house rules. When a rule is broken, each child has to be held accountable, according to their level of maturity.

Consistently enforcing rules is one of the best ways to stop kids from arguing before they even get started.

How do you stop your kids from arguing at home? Share your tried and tested tips in the comments!

Don’t miss these other parenting tips!

Follow my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board for more support!

How to Make Chores Fun for Kids

December 12, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

If you ask kids what their least favorite thing to do is in the whole wide world, a large majority of them will instantly answer, “Chores!”

Actually, I’ve been known to say the same myself.

Still, doing chores around the house is an important part of growing up. But that doesn’t mean it has to feel like chores, right?

There are plenty of easy ideas for how to make chores fun for kids and I’m sharing a couple today!

Keep reading for some great tips on making chores a little more fun for your kids. Plus, grab a handy printable chore chart for kids to help the little ones keep up each week!

Want more ideas for keeping your home in order? Take a look at how to set up a spring cleaning plan of attack!

How to Make Chores More Fun for Kids

Images c/o: antiksu & Dmyrto_z / Deposit Photos

1. Turn up the Music!

When your little ones have chores to do, turn on some of their favorite tunes. You can even make a special playlist for your child to keep their spirits up.

After all, when I have a pile of work to get through, I go to a dedicated “work flow” playlist that features upbeat electronica. Why not try the same for the kids?

Be sure to take a dance break every few songs too!

2. Play A Game

Everyone loves to play games of some kind – kids, in particular. Turn as many chores as you can into friendly competitions.

If you have kids who share a room, see who can get their side clean the fastest! If you have laundry to fold, divide the pile in half and challenge the kids to finish folding their pile (neatly) in five minutes or less.

Shower them with praise for their hard work!

3. Offer A Few Rewards

Giving myself a tiny reward for finishing work often helps me stay on task. And I’m grown!

Kids love rewards too, so be sure to reward your child for a job well done in completing their chores.

Because chores are often daily tasks for a lot of children, you may want to choose to offer a reward at the end of the week, instead of daily. It can be as simple as letting the kids choose the family’s movie for the week or serving a favorite dessert.

4. Use a Chore Chart

How can you keep up with who is supposed to do what each week? Use a printable chore chart for kids!

Issue one to each child and let them fill out their weekly chores and check off their progress along the way. They’ll love the feeling of charting their progress!

If you need a printable chore chart, just scroll down to grab one for your kids – free!

Don’t miss these other home and family tips!

Follow my Parenting with Joy board on Pinterest for more tips for happy parenting!

Dinosaur Free Printable Chore Chart for Kids

I can’t lie. I love a cute printable.

And so do my kids!

With this printable dinosaur chore chart, I don’t have to remember who’s responsible for what. The kids can do it themselves!

To use this printable chore chart for kids, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper
Laminator (optional)
Dry erase marker (optional)

This chart includes a fun dinosaur theme, a space for a child’s name, and lines for tracking up to eight chores.

Kids can simply check off the chore as it’s completed each day.

You can print the chart, laminate it, and hang it on the fridge for use each week! Just mark off the chores with a dry erase marker.

To get your copy of this dinosaur printable chore chart for kids, sign up for our weekly email newsletter! You can follow the instructions below to get started.

Cupcake English and Spanish Number Word Matching Activity

December 10, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Cupcakes, I think, are the most fun dessert ever invented.

It’s like – if you make cupcakes on the most boring Tuesday, it’s automatically a party.

Cupcakes are also a fun early learning theme for kids. Which is why I thought they’d make for a cute math center activity – this Cupcake English and Spanish number word matching activity!

Fun Cupcake Number Word Matching Activity

This is a perfect hands-on number recognition lesson for early grades.

And, because, it’s in English and Spanish, it’s also good for ESL learners and foreign language classes!

Read on to see how to get your set.

And, for more fun with Spanish numbers, take a look at our printable Spanish I Have, Who Has Game too!

This printable cupcake themed Spanish number word matching activity is a perfect fit for math centers!

Cupcake Count! Number Word Matching Activity

To use this number word matching activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Cupcake Themed Spanish Number Word Matching

This product includes 20 color cupcakes number cards.

40 number word labels featuring number words from one to twenty are also inside: 20 in English and 20 in Spanish.

A blackline version is included too.

Using a Spanish Number Word Matching Activity

Plus, there is a full answer key with the number words and numerals matched in both languages!

How to Use this Cupcake Number Word Matching Activity

There are a few ways you can use this resource with your students.

It works as a one-time cut and paste activity, but if you want to reuse it, laminate it the cards and labels.

That way, kids can attach either the English or Spanish number words to the correct numeral cupcake. You can even add hook and look coin stickers for reuse.

Need to save on ink? You can print the line art version on colorful Astrobright paper.

Or you can print it on white paper and let students color in the cupcake cards.

Coloring a Number Word Matching Activity Set

If you plan to use this activity at centers, print the answer key cards and put them on a ring.

Students can match up the Spanish and English number words and then check their work!

Get a look at this resource in the video below!

Scroll down to get your copy of our Cupcake Count! English and Spanish Number Word Matching Activity!

Don’t miss these other hands-on math learning ideas for kids!

Help students practice skip counting by 5, 100, and 1000 with this hands on candy bag skip counting activity! Laminate these to reuse at second grade math centers!

These hot cocoa sequencing mats are so fun for helping early learners practice telling how to follow directions!

This printable Spanish I Have Who Has Game is great for practicing Spanish vocabulary and counting to 20! Use it with early foreign language learners!

Spanish and English Number Word Matching Activity

To get your copy of this Cupcake Count Number Word Matching Activity, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store or check it out below!

Cocoa Count! Hot Cocoa 1-10 Counting Cards for Kids

December 9, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Hot cocoa on a winter morning is just about the best thing ever.

Well, hot cocoa on a winter morning when you don’t have to leave the house for any reason whatsoever is the best thing ever.

But hot cocoa plays a major role in both scenarios!

And what’s hot cocoa without marshmallows? Which is why this set of fun hot cocoa marshmallow 1-10 counting cards makes such a great counting activity for winter!

These are wonderful for winter math centers or morning tubs!

I like to use them with pom-poms, but you can use math counters, playdough, or even counting bears instead.

Making a 1-10 Counting Booklet with Kids

Read on to see how to get your set!

And, for more hands-on fun with counting, don’t miss our Candy Bag Skip Counting Activity!

These hot cocoa 1-10 counting cards are perfect for winter counting practice with early learners!

Cocoa Count! Hot Cocoa 1-10 Counting Cards for Kids

To use these hot cocoa 1-10 counting cards, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper
Laminator
Scissors
Playdough, pom-poms, or math counters

Cocoa Themed Counting to Ten Activity Cards for Kids

This set of counting cards includes ten color hot cocoa cards – one for each number from one to ten.

Reusable Math Counting Cards for Centers

Each card includes instructions for how many “marshmallows” to add to the cocoa.

There’s also a small image below showing the correct number of “marshmallows”. That way, students can check their own work.

Hot Cocoa 1-10 Counting Cards for Coloring

And a full blackline version is included!

How to Use the Cocoa 1-10 Counting Cards with Students

There are several ways to adapt this counting resource with students.

Laminate the cards and use them with playdough.

Using Cocoa 1-10 Counting Cards with Students

Print them half-sized for use in morning tubs.

Using 1-10 Counting Cards at Math Centers

Or laminate them to use dry erase markers to draw the “marshmallows” in each cup.

If you want to make this counting activity really fun, let students use the tiny marshmallows that come with hot cocoa mix as counters.

Of course, you’ll have to buy extra to make sure there are actually enough marshmallows to complete the activity.

I mean, what’s a marshmallow or two between friends?

Making a Hot Cocoa Themed Counting Booklet

You can also print the blackline version and let students color the pages. Then they can staple them to create a counting booklet.

Afterwards, they can cut out white circles to add “marshmallows” and glue them in place.

See more about this resource in the video below!

Scroll down to get your Cocoa Count! Hot Cocoa 1-10 Counting Cards!

Try these other hands-on learning ideas with your early grades students!

These shark themed counting to ten puzzles are wonderful for use at early math centers!

Using Mini 1-10 Counting Cards at Math Centers

To get your copy of these Hot Cocoa Count! Counting to Ten Activity Cards, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store or check them out below!

Fluffy Snowman Slime Recipe for Kids

December 5, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Nothing says “winter” like snow.

Unless you live in the Deep South.

Then nothing says “winter” like temperatures below 50 degrees.

It almost never gets cold enough for snow down here, but our kids always want it to snow each year. So we’re making it snow inside with this fluffy snowman slime recipe!

This is such a great winter sensory activity, whether you get snow in your area or not.

Plus, it doesn’t make a mess, so if you’re a messy play avoider (like…ahem…myself), this one won’t take you hours to clean up afterward.

Read on to get the full DIY snow slime recipe instructions below!

And, for more fun with sensory activities, take a look at our glittery mermaid slime too!

DIY Fluffy Snowman Slime Recipe for Kids

What I love about slime is that kids get to help make it and then play with it. So it’s really a two-in-one activity.

And if you need some quiet time, they’ll play with slime happily for hours on end. (At least my kids will.) It’s perfect for quiet time.

To make this DIY snowman slime recipe, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

white school glue
lemon, orange, and grapefruit scented oil (optional)
artificial snow
foam shaving cream (avoid the menthol kind if you want the citrus scent to come through)
contact lens solution
baking soda
small foam beads
white glitter

In a large bowl, mix together the white glue, citrus oils, and glitter.

Then add the shaving cream, contact lens solution, and baking soda.

Finally, pour in the foam beads and artificial snow. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything together well.

You might need to add a little more contact lens solution until you get the consistency you want. The snowman slime should pull away from the sides of the bowl as you mix it.

Remove the slime mixture from the bowl and knead it with your hands until smooth.

You’ll know it’s ready when you can mold it into a ball that keeps its shape.

Dump the snowman slime on the table and let kids play with it using winter-themed toys: snowmen, snowflakes, even arctic animals would make a great addition!

If you’re planning on throwing a winter kids’ party, you can make this snow slime into party favors!

Just put some in empty baby food jars, add a colorful ribbon around the center, and you’re done!

Scroll down to get your printable Snowman Slime recipe!

Try out some of these other winter ideas for kids!

Be sure to follow my Winter Activities for Kids Pinterest board too!

Printable Snowman Slime Recipe

This handy printable snowman slime recipe makes it simple to mix up this winter slime at home!

DIY Fluffy Snowman Slime Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup white school glue
10 drops each lemon, orange, and grapefruit scented oil (optional)
1/4 cup artificial snow
3 cups foam shaving cream (avoid the menthol kind if you want the citrus scent to come through)
1-2 tbsp contact lens solution
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup small foam beads
1/4 cup white glitter

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together the glue and citrus oils (if using).
Add the white glitter and shaving cream.
Add the contact lens solution and baking soda.
Add the foam beads and artificial snow.
Mix together with a wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Remove the mixture from the bowl and knead with your hands until smooth.