Anita and the Honeybees – Class 4 EVS NCERT Solutions

Explore the solutions for Anita and the Honeybees, Class 4 EVS NCERT. This inspiring chapter teaches us about determination, breaking gender barriers, and the importance of education. Through Anita’s story, we learn how education can transform lives and create opportunities. The chapter also provides fascinating insights into beekeeping and the organized world of insects like bees and ants.

Chapter Summary (English)

The chapter narrates the inspiring story of Anita Khushwaha from Bochaha village in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district. Despite facing initial resistance from her parents regarding girls’ education, Anita pursued her dreams. She not only completed her education but also became a teacher and a successful beekeeper. The chapter shows her journey from tending goats to becoming an entrepreneur, breaking societal barriers, and inspiring others. The story also includes interesting information about honeybees, their colonies, and other social insects like ants.

अध्याय सार (Hindi Summary)

यह अध्याय बिहार के मुजफ्फरपुर जिले के बोचहा गांव की अनीता खुशवाहा की प्रेरणादायक कहानी है। लड़कियों की शिक्षा को लेकर माता-पिता के प्रारंभिक विरोध का सामना करने के बावजूद, अनीता ने अपने सपनों को पूरा किया। उन्होंने न केवल अपनी शिक्षा पूरी की बल्कि एक शिक्षिका और सफल मधुमक्खी पालक भी बनीं। अध्याय बकरियों की देखभाल से लेकर एक उद्यमी बनने तक की उनकी यात्रा, सामाजिक बाधाओं को तोड़ने और दूसरों को प्रेरित करने की कहानी दिखाता है। कहानी में मधुमक्खियों, उनके कॉलोनियों और चींटियों जैसे अन्य सामाजिक कीड़ों के बारे में भी रोचक जानकारी शामिल है।

Word Meanings

Exercise Solutions

Find out how much money do you spend in one year for various school related things.

As a student, here is my estimate of yearly school expenses:

How much money did you spend on your books this year?

This year, I spent approximately ₹1,200 on my textbooks and workbooks. This includes:

• NCERT textbooks for all subjects: ₹500
• Additional reference books: ₹400
• Practice workbooks: ₹300

What kind of a school uniform would you like to wear? Draw a picture of it in your notebook and colour it.

For my ideal school uniform, I would design:

• A comfortable navy blue pinafore dress with white shirt for girls
• Navy blue pants and white shirt for boys
• Comfortable black shoes with white socks
• A smart red tie to add color
• House color belts to distinguish different houses

Make two groups in the class. Debate the topic – ‘We should have uniforms in school.’

Here are points for both sides of the debate:

In favor of uniforms:

• Creates equality among students regardless of economic background
• Helps maintain discipline and school identity
• Makes getting ready for school easier
• Reduces peer pressure about clothing

Against uniforms:

• Limits individual expression and creativity
• Can be an additional expense for parents
• May not be comfortable in all seasons
• Students should learn to make appropriate clothing choices

Do you know someone who wanted to study, but could not do so?

Yes, I know my neighbor’s daughter Priya who wanted to continue her studies after 8th standard. However, due to financial constraints and distance of high school from our village, she had to temporarily stop her education. But inspired by Anita’s story, she has now joined the National Institute of Open Schooling to continue her studies while helping her family.

Every child has a right to free education upto Class VIII. Do you think that all children are able to study up to Class VIII?

No, despite the Right to Education Act, not all children are able to study up to Class VIII due to various reasons:

• Poverty and need to work to support family
• Lack of schools in remote areas
• Gender discrimination in some communities
• Lack of awareness about importance of education
• Poor infrastructure and quality of education in some areas

Have you seen any insects near flowers? Find out their names and write.

Yes, I have observed several insects near flowers:

• Butterflies – especially on marigold and jasmine
• Honeybees – on almost all flowering plants
• Moths – usually on night-blooming flowers
• Ladybugs – on rose plants
• Dragonflies – hovering near garden flowers

Why do you think they come to the flowers? Find out.

Insects visit flowers for several reasons:

• To collect nectar, which is their food source
• To gather pollen for their hives
• They help in pollination of flowers
• Some insects use flowers as shelter
• The bright colors and sweet smell attract them

When honeybees fly, there is a kind of sound. Can you try to copy this sound?

The honeybee makes a “buzzzzzzz” sound while flying. This sound comes from their wings beating very fast – about 200 times per second! The sound gets louder when they are excited or defending their hive.

What will be the total cost of Anita’s 20 boxes?

Let’s calculate:

• Cost of one box = ₹2,000
• Total cost for 20 boxes = ₹2,000 × 20 = ₹40,000

What do people in your area put on the part of the body where the bee has stung?

In our area, people use several home remedies for bee stings:

• Cold ice pack to reduce swelling
• Paste of baking soda and water
• Honey applied directly on the sting
• Crushed neem leaves
• Aloe vera gel

Anita and others in her village get Rs.35 for one kilogram of honey. How much does one kilogram of honey cost in your town?

In our town, honey prices vary based on quality and brand:

• Local unbranded honey: ₹150-200 per kg
• Branded pure honey: ₹300-400 per kg
• Organic certified honey: ₹450-500 per kg

What are the different colours of honey that you have seen?

I have seen honey in various colors:

• Light golden (from litchi flowers)
• Dark amber (from mustard flowers)
• Light amber (from multifloral sources)
• Almost white (from acacia flowers)

Is honey used in your house? What is it used for?

Yes, honey is regularly used in our house for various purposes:

• As a healthy alternative to sugar in tea and drinks
• Mixed with warm water for morning drink
• As a natural remedy for cough and cold
• In face packs for skin care
• As a spread on bread and rotis

Which are some other insects that live together in a group, like honeybees?

Several insects live in organized colonies:

• Ants – with queens, workers, and soldiers
• Termites – living in large underground colonies
• Wasps – building paper-like nests
• Paper wasps – making coordinated colonies
• Some species of beetles – living in groups

Have you seen where ants live?

Yes, I have observed ants living in various places:

• In small holes and cracks in walls
• Underground colonies in gardens
• Between tiles on the floor
• In tree trunks and dead wood
• Around kitchen areas and food storage

What kind of eatables attract ants? List them.

From my observation, ants are attracted to:

• Sweet items like sugar, honey, and jaggery
• Bread crumbs and biscuit pieces
• Spilled milk and dairy products
• Fruits, especially overripe ones
• Oil and fatty food items

Look at a line of ants. What is its colour?

From my observation, ants commonly seen in our area are:

• Small black ants in long trails
• Bigger reddish-brown ants near trees
• Tiny brown ants in kitchen
• Large black carpenter ants near wooden structures

Have you been bitten by an ant? What was the ant like – black or red, big or small?

Yes, I have been bitten by ants. Most memorable was a bite from a big red ant while playing in the garden. It was about 1 cm long and caused a sharp pain and small swelling. The black ants usually don’t bite unless disturbed, but red ants are more aggressive.

Do ants ever come near you? When?

Yes, ants come near me in several situations:

• During outdoor picnics when we have food
• In the garden while planting or weeding
• If I accidentally step near their trail
• When eating sweets outdoors
• During rainy season when they seek shelter indoors

Look carefully at some big and small ants. How many legs does an ant have?

After careful observation:

• Big ant: 6 legs (3 pairs)
• Small ant: 6 legs (3 pairs)

All ants, regardless of their size, have six legs attached to their thorax. Each pair of legs has a specific function in helping the ant move and carry food.

Location of Bihar

Bihar is located in the eastern part of India. It is bounded by:

• Nepal to the north
• West Bengal to the east
• Uttar Pradesh to the west
• Jharkhand to the south

Patna is its capital city, and Muzaffarpur, where Anita lives, is an important district in north Bihar.

Activity: Making Insects from Peanut Shells

Here’s how you can make insects using peanut shells:

• Clean and dry the peanut shells thoroughly
• Use two shells joined together for the body
• Add matchsticks or small twigs for legs
• Use paper cuts for wings
• Paint them in different colors to make bees, butterflies, or ants
• Add small details with marker pens
• Use craft glue to hold everything together