: the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people

: the state of occurring or existing beyond the usual, expected, or normal time

Why ants? They are hard workers! They never give up! They teach us to view things from their perspective! And ants overcome obstacles! Persistence, ant style! When the going gets tough, ants keep going! Watch this short clip from National Geographic as Dr. Nigel Franks monitors how hard individual ants work by gluing tracking chips to them.

Just what makes that little old ant
Think he’ll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant, can’t
Move a rubber tree plant

But he’s got high hopes, he’s got high hopes
He’s got high apple pie, in the sky hopes

Read This!

Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg

When an ant scout returns home with a mysterious crystal, the queen ant decides it is the most delicious food she has ever tasted. That evening the other ants, wishing to make the queen happy, set off on a journey to fetch home as many of these crystals as they can carry. The journey is a dangerous one. Following the scout, the ants travel through the “forest” to the “mountain” they must climb in order to reach the treasure they seek.

Below is a fun little animation that illustrates persistence!