“In the beginning God created the heavens
and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
For Preschool and Kindergarten
Living the LIFE Curriculum
© La Verne A. Tolbert, Ph.D.
Teaching Like Jesus Ministries
1539 E. Howard Street
Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 398-2465
Living the LIFE Curriculum is part of the Contemporary LIFE Series ©
OUR GOD IS…His-Story
Genesis is the Book of Beginnings, and it is His-story. This history
details God‘s dealings with mankind.
UNIT GOAL
The goal of this series is to overview the Old
Testament beginning with the Book of
Genesis—the Book of Beginnings.
UNIT OBJECTIVE By the end of this 13-week series, students will
decide that God is both Creator and CovenantKeeper.
These main points highlight the unit:
1. The triune God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit—creates the world and
its inhabitants;
2. When Adam sins, God has a plan for redemption as demonstrated
with the covering or clothing He provided for Adam and Eve;
3. God responds when Cain‘s jealousy results in bloodshed;
4. Humankind becomes so wicked that God decides to begin all over
again and spares only Noah and his family;
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5. Later, God makes a covenant with Abraham, the father of faith.
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
―I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.‖
John 10:10
New International Version
Welcome to Living the Life Curriculum Series©! To ensure that this will be an
enjoyable and successful teaching time, here are some pointers to help you
effectively communicate the Word of God.
First, read through all of the lessons so that you will have the ―big picture‖ for
this 13-week series. Then, on Monday during your daily time with the Lord,
review the lesson for the following Sunday. It‘s essential to read the entire
passage directly from the Bible along with this curriculum series.
Tuesday through Saturday, plan each portion of the lesson. God will speak to
your heart and direct your steps to find the materials you need if you give Himand yourself- adequate time to prepare.
Above all, as you prepare, remember to pray. Pray that your lesson will flow
smoothly. Pray to hear the Holy Spirit. Pray for discernment. Pray for
wisdom. Pray for favor with the students. Pray to have an attractive
personality. Pray for a sense of humor. Pray that God will meet your students‘
needs. Pray that students will understand. Pray that students will apply what
they have learned. Pray that students will be saved. Pray! Pray! Pray! Perhaps
you may want to use this acrostic as a guide to pray Monday through Saturday:
Pray intercessory prayers for your students.
Release God‘s power in your classroom.
Ask the Holy Spirit, the ―Teacher‖, for creative lesson ideas.
Yoke with a like-minded prayer partner.
Entreat God to expel evil influences from the environment.
Remember that prayer works! So, pray!
May God bless you and the children!
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Teaching for Heaven‘s Sake,
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
In This 13-week curriculum you will find:
1. Spiral curriculum for Preschool through Sixth Grade
2. Lesson Plans based on Hook, Book, Look, Took from
Teaching Like Jesus: A Practical Guide to Christian Education in
Your Church (Zondervan, pg. 110) www.teachinglikejesus.org
3. Special Needs Adaptation Lesson Plans
4. Notes Pages to jot down Holy Spirit-inspired ideas
5. ―All the World‘s a Stage‖ Skits
6. Class Starters and Ice Breakers
7. ―What If‖ questions to sprinkle into your lessons
8. Teacher Evaluation Sheets
9. Review Lessons with Mrs. Win-A-Verse
10. Coloring pages and craft ideas
11. A review lesson.
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Thank you for using this curriculum! If you have any questions,
please email Dr. Tolbert: [email protected].
Remember, ―A church without children is a dying church!‖
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
Table of Contents
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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How To Lead A Child To Christ
8
Lesson Format
10
Summary of Lessons
11
Shopping List
12
Lesson #1 “Let There Be Light”
Lesson Outline
14
Hook, Book, Look, Took
15
Special Needs Modification
16
Notes
17
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
18
In the Beginning…
20
What If…
21
Materials
22
Teacher Evaluation Page
26
Lesson #2 “God Lives In Heaven”
Lesson Outline
27
Hook, Book, Look, Took
28
Special Needs Modification
29
Notes
30
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
31
In the Beginning…
33
What If…
34
Teacher Evaluation Page
35
Lesson #3 “Seas, Plants and Trees”
Lesson Outline
36
Hook, Book, Look, Took
37
Special Needs Modification
38
Notes
39
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
40
In the Beginning…
42
What If…
43
Materials
44
Teacher Evaluation Page
45
Lesson #4 “Sun, Moon and Stars”
Lesson Outline
46
Hook, Book, Look, Took
47
Special Needs Modification
48
Notes
49
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
50
In the Beginning…
52
What If…
53
Materials
54
Teacher Evaluation Page
56
Lesson #5 “Fish, Birds, Cattle and creeping Things”
Lesson Outline
57
Hook, Book, Look, Took
58
Notes
59
5
Unit #1
Table of Contents, Cont’d
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
In the Beginning…
What If…
Teacher Evaluation Page
Lesson #6 “God Made Us”
Lesson Outline
Hook, Book, Look, Took
Notes
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
In the Beginning…
What If…
Teacher Evaluation Page
Lesson #7 “Come Sunday Morning”
Lesson Outline
Hook, Book, Look, Took
Special Needs Modification
Notes
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
In the Beginning…
What If…
Teacher Evaluation Page
Lesson #8 “God Loves Us”
Lesson Outline
Hook, Book, Look, Took
Notes
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
In the Beginning…
What If…
Teacher Evaluation Page
Lesson #9 “God Sees Cain”
Lesson Outline
Hook, Book, Look, Took
Notes
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
In the Beginning…
What If…
Teacher Evaluation Page
Lesson #10 “Two By Two”
Lesson Outline
Hook, Book, Look, Took
Special Needs Modification
Notes
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
In the Beginning…
What If…
Materials
Teacher Evaluation Page
Table of Contents, Cont’d
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132
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Lesson #11 “A New Name”
Lesson Outline
Hook, Book, Look, Took
Notes
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
In the Beginning…
What If…
Teacher Evaluation Page
Lesson #12 “A Baby Boy”
Lesson Outline
Hook, Book, Look, Took
Special Needs Modification
Notes
“All The World’s A Stage” Skit
In the Beginning…
What If…
Teacher Evaluation Page
Lesson #13 “Review”
Lesson Outline
Review Question
Notes
“In the Beginning…”
What If…
Teacher Evaluation Page
About The Author
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
Do you remember when you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? Was it
vividly memorable, exciting, part confusing, or a combination of all three? At
what age did this take place? Were you a child, teen or adult? These may
appear to be simple questions but in actuality, they are not. At each of the
three levels just mentioned, a person perceives things differently.
Accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior should be vividly memorable and
exciting but never confusing. So many times we hear testimonies about how
people accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and never really understood
what they were doing until a later date. For this curriculum series, we want to
avoid children being confused about receiving Jesus Christ as their Savior.
We want them to remember the joy of this occasion.
For a child, what does it mean to accept Jesus Christ as his/her personal
Savior?
In her book, Teaching Like Jesus, A Practical Guide to Christian Education
in Your Church, Dr. La Verne Tolbert gives a simple but easy-to-understand
explanation of this: ―Because children are in this literal stage (elementary age),
some Christian terms may be confusing for them. Asking Jesus to ‗come into
their heart,‘ for instance, may not be the best way to offer salvation. Imagine
asking someone to actually break through the chest cavity to enter the heart!
Instead, asking Jesus to be their ‗Best Friend‘ or asking Him to be ‗Savior‘ (and
explain what the word Savior means) is a better way of inviting children to be
born again. In general, avoid using Christian clichés when teaching.‖
The following is a 5-step application to lead a child to Jesus Christ.
1. Review the day‘s lesson with colorful and exciting words.
2. Define the following term:
Savior – A person who rescues another from harm, danger, or loss – The
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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4. Explain to the children how there is only one person who will always
rescue them from harm, danger or loss and who is trusting, caring,
forgiving, loving and always there for them. That person is Jesus Christ.
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American Heritage College Dictionary, Third Edition.
3. Describe qualities of a best friend such as trusting, caring, forgiving,
loving and always there for you.
5. Explain to the children that everyone makes mistakes and we all need
forgiveness (someone to say it‘s o.k.). Jesus has made the way for us to
be forgiven of our sins (mistakes), and get to heaven (the place where
God is). The only way for this to happen is if we each ask Jesus to be our
Savior.
Ask the children, ―Who has not asked Jesus to be your Savior? Would
you like to ask Him now?‖ Have those who respond repeat the following
prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for sending Jesus to die for me. I am sorry for my sins.
Thank you for forgiving me. I ask Jesus to be my Best Friend and
Savior. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Give the child a gift (i.e. Children‘s Bible, bookmark) to make the moment
memorable.
After this celebration, a Children‘s Worker can go over the following:
 Does the child understand what just happened?
 Does the child understand the importance of attending church
(preferably a Children‘s Church)?
 Does the child understand the importance of learning about the
Holy Spirit (personal helper)?
 Does the child understand praying?
 Does the child understand the importance of attending a midweek Children‘s Bible study?
Follow through is a critical component to the development of a child‘s spiritual
growth. Teacher, share with the parents the decision their child has made and
encourage the child to tell his/her parents and family/friends. Make sure to
look for these new born believers in the upcoming weeks and ask how they are
doing. Are there any questions about what happened the prior week(s)?
Encourage the children to learn all they can about Jesus, their New Best
Friend.
Remember – ―Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the
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kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.‖ – Matthew 19:14
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
Lesson Format
Hook:
…captures the learner’s attention and sets the
stage for the lesson. It leads naturally to the …
Book:
…the Bible lesson. Learners are now ready
to dig into the Word of God to personally
discover God’s truth.
Look:
…forms a bridge between Bible times and today.
It answers the questions, “What is happening in
the world around us?” and, “How does this
lesson relate to the people, events, or
circumstances today?”
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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…is the personal application. Students
make decisions by responding to the
question, “What will I do with what I have
learned?”
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Took:
Le
OVERVIEW OF LESSONS
Lesson #1
Let There Be Light!
God speaks... and He creates the world.
Genesis 1:1-5
Lesson #2
God lives in heaven
Heaven, where God lives, is above the sky.
Genesis 1:6-98
Lesson #3
Seas, Plants, and Trees
God speaks and separates the seas from dry land.
Genesis 1:9-13
Lesson #4
Sun, Moon, and Stars
God speaks to the light and creates day and night.
Genesis 1:14-19
Lesson #5
Fish, Birds, Cattle and Creeping Things
God gives us food to eat.
Genesis 1:20-25
Lesson #6
God Made Us
God makes man in His own image.
Genesis 1:26-31
Lesson #7
Come Sunday Morning
God sets aside one day to rest and to worship.
Genesis 2: 2-3
Lesson #8
God is love
When Adam sinned, God had a plan!
Genesis 3:21
Lesson #9
God Sees Cain
Cain hid from God, but God found him.
Genesis 4
Lesson #10
Two by Two
Noah, his family, and the animals were saved from the Flood.
Genesis 6
Lesson #11
A New Name
Genesis 12: 1-3
God gives Abram a new name and makes him the father of many nations
Lesson #12
A Baby Boy
Abraham and Sarah experience God‘s promise of a son.
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Review Lesson with Mrs. Win-A-Verse
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Lesson #13
Genesis 21:1-3
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
Shopping List
In order to teach these lessons effectively, you will
need to be prepared with a few essential items. Here
is a list of the items you will need along with a few
suggestions of what works best for us.
Bibles
We suggest a culturally relevant Children’s Bible such as: The Beginner’s Bible: Timeless Children’s
Stories by Kelly Pulley (2005), ZonderKidz: Grand Rapids ISBN: 0310709628
(www.zondervan.com)
Children‘s Story Books
We suggest culturally relevant story books such as: Designed By God So I Must Be Special by
Character Builders For Kids (1988), Vaughn Press: Orlando ISBN: 0961527945
(www.amazon.com)
Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel (1970) Harper Collins: New York ISBN:
0060239572 (www.amazon.com)
How God Gives Us Chocolate by Henrietta D. Gambill (1970) Harper Collins: New York
What Will Mommy Do When I’m At School? by Dolores Johnson (1990) Macmillan: New York
Jamal’s Busy Day by Wade Hudson (1991) Just Books: Orange ISBN: 0785702555
(www.target.com)
A Million Fish… More Or Less by Patricia C. McKissack (1992) Alfred A. Knopf: New York
ISBN: 0785784883 (www.amazon.com)
Praise and Worship Music CD‘s
We suggest praise and worship cd’s such as: “In The Arms of The Father” by Kuk Harrell
(www.galaxymall.com/music/kukharrell/order.html)
Puppet Family
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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Camera (Polaroid or Digital is best to get photos immediately) (www.walmart.com)
T.V. Monitor(www.walmart.com)
DVD/VHS Player (www.walmart.com)
DVD/VHS of Disney‘s ―The Lion King‖ or Thomas Nelson‘s ―Bibleman: Breaking
The Bonds of Disobedience‖ (www.amazon.com)
Dolls and Doll Accessories
Stuffed Animals
Building Blocks/Legos
Crayons
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We suggest a puppet set such as: “Let’s Talk! Kid Puppets” Complete Set
(www.lakeshorelearning.com)
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Paint
Markers
Pencils
Paper
Cardstock (white and colorful)
Posterboard
Felt and Felt cut-outs for flannelgraph
Glue
Tape
Scissors
X-acto Knife
Wooden Dowels
Fishing line
Flower Seeds
Potting Soil
Empty Milk Cartons
Globe/Large Map of the World
Snacks
Fresh or Plastic Fruit
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
Lesson #1
and frogs did not
become…whatever! Birds,
animals, fish, and people were
all created by the Creator. God
never tries to convince anyone
about His existence. The Bible
simply says, “In the beginning,
God…”
Memory Verse
“In the beginning God
created the heavens
and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
Student Examination
How did the world come into existence?
The answer is this: God made everything!
As children learn the creation account,
they will have the foundation to
understand that there is a big difference
between ―God created‖ and the Big Bang
theory of evolution.
Teacher Evaluation
Often we are not pleased with how God made us. We wish we were like
someone else—in appearance, personality, or lifestyle. Is this you? Are you
content with who you are in Christ? Do you know that you are fearfully
and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)? If we spend our adult lives wishing
that we were other than who we are, look at what we‘re wasting…our
entire lives! God created everyone perfectly for His purpose, including and
especially you.
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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No! Fish did not become frogs
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Lesson Explanation
Objective
 Given a lesson on the creation
from Genesis 1: 1-5, children will
recall that God made the world
by drawing pictures of the earth
and memorizing Genesis 1:1.
Materials

Children‘s Bibles
Coloring paper

Designed by God, So I Must Be Special, by
Character Builders for Kids (1988), Vaughan Press:
Orlando, Florida
Crayons
Hook:
Method: Song. "Jesus Loves the Little Children."
Bridge—“God loves us so much because He made us.”
Book:
Method: Question and Answer
 Can anyone tell me who made the world?
 Where can we read about how God made the earth?
Teacher, read Genesis 1:1-5 from a children’s Bible.
 God said, “Let there be light.” God made the light,
and He also made the night.
Bridge—“Why do we need light? What do we need to
see in the daytime? Why do we need night? What do we
do we see in the evening?”
Look:
Method: Question and Answer
 What’s special about the daytime?
 What’s special about the night?
Bridge—“What do we do during the day? What do we
do differently at night? (This discussion can take place
as children are coloring their pictures of the earth.)
Method: Review.
 How do we know that God created our world?
 Because the Bible tells us so!
Repeat Genesis 1:1 until children commit it to memory. Use
hand movements to make a big earth!
Our God Is!◊1st and 2nd Grade
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Took:
Page


Special Needs Modification
Materials
Children‘s Bibles
Coloring paper


Globe or map of the earth
Crayons
Hook:
Method: Song. "Jesus Loves the Little Children."
Bridge—“God loves us so much because He made us.”
Book:
Method: Read Genesis 1:1 to the children. Read the verse
again and have the children repeat after you (do this several
times).
Look:
Method: Nature walk. Take the children outside and ask
them to tell you what they see (give clues if necessary). As the
children begin to identify things, ask them if they remember
the Bible verse. Then, have the children repeat the verse after
you.
Took:
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Once you’re back in class, look over the pages the children
have colored and repeat the Bible verse with them.
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

Our God Is!◊1st and 2nd Grade
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NOTES
Our God Is!◊1st and 2nd Grade
*This can be done with volunteers or puppets
Title: Have You Noticed?
Characters: Dennis, Bobby and Kim
Dennis (talking to Bobby and Kim): Hey guys, where‘s one of your favorite places to go?
Bobby (looking a Dennis strangely): Why do you wanna know that?
Dennis: Because there‘s something I don‘t understand. Just answer the question.
Kim: I like to go to the beach with my family.
Bobby: I like to go rent video games.
Dennis: Is that all you think about, video games?
Kim: That‘s all you talk about Bobby, video games, video games, and more video games.
Bobby: Don‘t get mad at me ‗cause I can play and you guys aren‘t any good.
Dennis: What a shame!
Bobby: What‘s a shame?
Dennis: I see a head on top of shoulders but it‘s a shame it‘s empty up there. I‘m just
kidding.
Kim: O.K., what‘s up with where we like to go?
Dennis: My parents took me to the mountains for the day and when we got there, my
dad took us for a nature walk and started asking us HAVE YOU NOTICED THIS
BEFORE or HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT BEFORE?
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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Kim: Let me guess, Nature!
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Bobby: Noticed what?
Dennis: Yeah, but he was more specific. He started pointing at the different trees,
birds, bushes, leaves, insects, and what really tripped me out was how the wind was
blowing.
Kim: Hey, this sounds like what we were talking about in Children‘s Church. ―In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth‖ from Genesis 1:1.
Bobby: That‘s right, I remember too.
Kim: What? You remember something from Children‘s Church?
Bobby: Just because sometimes I look like I‘m not paying attention, it doesn‘t mean I‘m
not. I just listen different sometimes, that‘s all.
Dennis: I was in the mountains looking around and remembered that the Bible says God
created everything.
Kim: You don‘t have to be in the mountains to notice things. I have an idea, let‘s see
what we can notice right now.
Bobby: A butterfly.
Dennis: A palm tree.
Kim: The cold wind.
Bobby: A worm in the mud.
Kim: A snail in the bushes.
Dennis: It‘s like what we learned in Children‘s Church, we need to stop sometimes and
just look around and see all the wonderful things God created for us to enjoy.
Bobby: (facing the crowd) Hey boys and girls, before you go home today, can you name
five things you notice outside?
Kim: Don‘t forget, ―In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.‖
Dennis (facing the crowd) Well, that‘s it for now, we have to go.
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Dennis, Bobbie & Kim (facing the crowd) See you next time, bye.
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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After the children have finished
coloring, ask them to talk about
what they colored. Ask them have
they ever wondered where these
things have come from? You‘re
ready now to begin the lesson!
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Method: Coloring. Have the
children start class by coloring
pictures of a forest with animals,
pictures of birds, butterflies or
various animals.
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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What if God didn‘t make animals, trees,
bushes, flowers or the grass you play
on?
 How do you think things
would look?
 What do you like most
about animals, trees and
plants?
 Why?
Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
Jesus Loves the Little Children
Written By: Unknown
Copyright Unknown
Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Black and yellow, red and white
They're all precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world
Whether you're rich or whether you're poor
It matters not to Him
He remembers where you're going
Not where you've been
Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Black and yellow, red and white
They're all precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world
All around the world tonight
His children rest assured
That He will watch and He will keep us
Safe and secure
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Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Black and yellow, red and white
They're all precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world
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Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
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Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten
Teacher:
Did you apply the lesson to your life?
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Did you teach the lesson effectively?
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What worked?
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What needs to be improved?
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Our God Is!◊Preschool and Kindergarten