Unit 6
Reprint 2025-26
You have read the chapter 'Mijbil the Otter' in your First Flight textbook. In this lesson, we will explore more about otters, pet care, and human-animal relationships through interactive activities and engaging exercises.
Mijbil showed us how animals can form emotional bonds with humans and display a range of behaviors and personalities. Through this lesson, we'll deepen our understanding of animal care, rights, and coexistence.
You have read the chapter 'Mijbil the Otter' in your textbook. Discuss with your partner the commitment the author had towards Mijbil, what arrangements he made for his pet. What good care did he take like getting fish, taking it for a walk or exercise, providing things, and space to play etc. Make a list and then share with other friends in the class.
Make a list of the ways the author cared for Mijbil:
Mijbil is an active animal who shows many emotions. Refer to the chapter and complete the following Table.
| What Mijbil Does | How Mijbil Feels |
|---|---|
| 1. Plunges, rolls in water | 1. Goes wild with joy |
The following words are from the text you have read. The synonyms for each word are given. Find the odd one out.
(a) serious, grave, , stern, solemn
(b) suitable, , appropriate, right, proper
(c) hostile, unfriendly, averse, , unreceptive
(d) peaceful, harmonious, quiet, serene,
(e) appalling, atrocious, , awful, dreadful
Look at the two sentences from the text:
(a) By then it had crossed my mind…
(b) Camusfearna, ringed by water…
The noun forms of these two verbs are 'cross' and 'ring'. For example:
I've put a cross on the map to show where the river Mahanadi is.
She put the ring back in the jewellery box.
Complete the sentences below using the given words as both nouns and verbs:
Word: Book
Noun: I enjoy reading a good about wildlife.
Verb: Please tickets for tomorrow's wildlife documentary.
Word: Mail
Noun: I received some from the wildlife conservation society.
Verb: I will my donation to the animal shelter today.
Word: Head
Noun: The of the otter is round and small.
Verb: The otters toward the water when disturbed.
You have read about "noun modifiers" in the chapter 'Mijbil the Otter', page 112. These give more information about a noun, hence are called noun modifiers. These are adjectives or adjective phrases.
For example: I went to a party. It was a Christmas party. The party was lovely.
Combined: I went to a lovely Christmas party.
Join the sentences below to make a simple sentence with an adjective phrase:
I bought a Maruti car. The colour is blue. It is sporty.
I bought car.
He made a speech. The speech was short. The speech was interesting.
He made speech.
Suresh went to a house. It was decorated beautifully.
Suresh went house.
Use the correct form of the word given in the bracket and fill in the blanks:
Example: His behaviour was disappointing. I expected him to be more polite. People present there were disappointed. (disappoint)
The death of 40 jawans was . We were when we heard the news. (shock)
I met an person in the party. He was in tasting each and every dish kept in the food counter. (interest)
Ravi is not very to visit new places. He tells his friends no place is compared to his village in Ranikhet. (excite)
Following is a story of Gangaram, a 130 years old crocodile, who died in a Chhattisgarh village. Listen to the story carefully and answer the questions that follow.
1. Why did the residents gather near the village pond?
2. Why were the villagers crying?
3. Who was Gangaram?
We all have seen hand puppets on YouTube or during story telling sessions. Try to make one hand puppet of an Otter. The situation is: Mijbil playing with water and spilling water everywhere.
Write a few dialogues between Mijbil and Maxwell:
Maxwell: Oh! Mijbil, what have you done?
Mijbil:
Maxwell:
Mijbil:
Maxwell:
Mijbil:
You have read a story 'The Bond of Love' in the class IX textbook, Beehive. In this story, the author talks about a sloth bear that his wife kept as a pet. The sloth bear was sent to the Zoo when it became too big to be kept at home.
Write your views on keeping big wild animals as pets, using wild animals for entertainment, etc.
In a group of four, conduct research on the following question and write a report on the findings:
What animals can be exported or imported under law? (Customs seizures show a variety of animals from reptiles, lizards, leopards to pythons, venomous reptile. These are carried in tiny suitcases and smuggled.)
Additionally, create a team of four students. Imagine a unique animal or bird as a pet. Draw the animal and write information about it:
Tongue twister: Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely
Idiom: Cat got your tongue — asked to a person who is at a loss of words.