Ensign Peak

UEM went to Ensign Peak on Friday, December 11th.




















Here, above
the smog, we
could see the entire Salt
Lake valley.
























Our focus for the day was adaptation to changes,
including environmental and social changes.

We used our experience of hiking up Ensign Peak in the winter as a creative writing opportunity regarding adaptation to changes.

Some of the students chose to share their writings.



Christina
Today, December 11, 2009, we went to Ensign Peak to hike. When we got there it was really cold. Since I haven't been in the snow or hiking in the snow for a while, I had to adapt to change because the elevation was higher and it was tiring. I had to take some time and get used to the change. It was hard but it was worth it, because people need change in their life or they are going to keep doing the same routine everyday. Some times you do need to adapt to change or your life will be boring. A lot of people, in fact, everybody in the world needs to adapt to change because in Utah we have the four seasons so you need to get used to or adapt to change or it can be life you are risking.

Nate
Adaptation is a very interesting subject. I sometimes wish I could adapt like a fox, so I wouldn't be as phased by the snow's cold or it's slickness or how deep it is. Plus I could hide when I felt like it. Or, if I were a cheetah I could run away. Living like that would be amazing and free.

Bjorn
I can adapt to change by changing with it. If it is cold, I would dress warm. If it were warm, I would not dress warm. I would wear pants and a t-shirt. I can be prepared before. I can look at how an animal would do it and bring water and extra food. Or I can over dress and be resourceful. Animals always have a way of adapting. Humans create gear to help us adapt. Animals adapt by hibernating or moving down from the mountains, or birds migrate to warmer places. Animals have evolved to adapt to there climate. We have not.

Gabe
Adapting is very hard. You can adapt to the weather or you can adapt to different climates, or anything else. Like a bear...they sleep throughout the winter and, then, throughout the summer they are active. So that is how they adapt to the cold. But we humans do a different thing. Like we wear warm clothing and we do not sleep throughout the winter. You also have to adapt when you are a baby. You have to adapt to life.

Nicholas
My body adapted to the cold by wearing six layers of clothing to stay warm. Some types of animals can stay warm with one fur coat. If I was like a deer, a bear, or a bunny...all of them can stay warm. I would like to be a bear, because then I can be warm all winter when I hibernate. Although in summer I would get very, very hot.
When I am cold, I always run around or just sit down and do nothing. It works for me. I always stay warm. Adapting was sort of hard, but I did adapt. At the start, I was cold, but when I started walking I started to get warmer. After I had lunch I was cold, but when I was sliding down I was steaming!

Camryn
Today, we went to Ensign Peak. First, it got very cold and then piping hot. Walking up was the hardest part. Me and Maddi did not like going up at all, so we went slow. We also got tired of crawling (that did not work). Then, Maddi, Ally and I got really tired of walking down to the vans, so we decided to slide. We slid most of the way and when we got up, we had to run because we didn't have much control of our legs.

Allyson
My body adapted to the change in weather when we got higher up into the mountains because I knew that if you get higher up it will get colder.
I adapted to the change in the weather when we were hiking because I had all of my gear to keep me warm and I didn't think about how cold it was outside.
Me, Camryn and Maddi adapted to the weather and the snow by siting down and pushing ourselves down the mountain.

Elise
Animals adapt to change by growing fur, hibernating and shedding. Humans adapt to change by wearing layers and not wearing layers. For example: today, we went to Ensign Peak. It was cold and we had to wear layers but some times it got too hot so then we took off layers. That is a way to adapt. For animals it would be different. For example: when it was hot, animals would shed their fur. But when it was cold, they would grow fur and some of them would hibernate.
If it is your first time, it can be hard. But when you are adapted, it is easy. And some people and animals adapt to it straight away.

Donda
One key in adaptation, I feel, is following the path of joy. It is more joyful to sled down the mountain on your bottom (as long as you have a good pair of snow pants!) than to walk down while straining to control your steps. I think other animals would agree...such as the penguin, the otter, the bounding deer, and the snow monkeys taking a dip in the hot springs within the mountains of Japan (as seen in the National Geographic). Having fun is the king of adaptation when faced with difficulty and changes!