Student #1
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus Listen here
Context: Aven Green sometimes tells people Notes & Definitions:
that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling Aven doesn’t have arms. I
feel like that could affect her
match or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is life and story alot.
she was born without them. When her parents
take a job running a rundown western theme
park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across
the country knowing that she’ll have to answer Why would the kid be scared
of her not having arms? I
the question over and over again. feel like I would just be
curious.
1 When I was little, a kid pointed at me on the
I wonder why his mom didn’t
playground and shouted, “Her arms fell off!” then ran make him apologize because
how do you think Aven
away screaming in terror to his mom, who had to would feel?
cuddle him on her lap and rub his head for like ten Aven hadn’t thought about
why she didn’t have arms.
minutes to get him to calm down. I think, up until Maybe the story will be
about her journey to learning
then, I hadn't thought about the idea that my arms why she doesn’t have arms.
I wonder what it's like having
no arms.
must have actually fallen off at some point in my life.
I never really thought about not having arms at all.
2 My missing arms weren't an issue for me or
my parents. I never once heard either of them say,
This is important because
“Oh no, Aven can't possibly do that because that's her parents are supportive
and positive about her
only for armed people,” or “Poor Aven is so helpless having no arms.
without arms,” or “Maybe Aven can do that one day,
Capable- manage to do
you know, if she ever grow some arms.” They something
always said things like, “You'll have to do this
differently from other people, but you can manage,”
This is important because
and “I know this is challenging. Keep trying,” and she never felt like she was
this different just cause of
“You're capable of anything, Aven.” her arms until the kid was
yelling about her arms.
3 I had never realized just how different I was
I think this is important
until the day that horrible kid shouted about my arms
because the mom let her
have a breakdown on her
having fallen off. For the first time I found myself
which can be comforting for
some people.
aware of my total armlessness, and I guess I felt like
I was sort of naked all of a sudden. So I, too, ran to
my mom, and she scooped me up and carried me
away from the park, allowing my tears and snot to
soak her shirt.
4 As she drove us home at day, I sat whimpering
in my car seat and asked her what had happened to
my arms and why they'd fallen off. She told me they
hadn't fallen off; I was just born like that. I asked her
I think this is important since
how I could get some new ones. She said I couldn't.
normally a person would
I wailed in despair, and she told me to stop crying
think differently of what she
because having arms was totally overrated. I didn't
couldn’t do.
know what overrated meant at the time because, like
I said, I was really little and so was my brain.
5 Growing up, I could do most everything
I think that is important
everyone else with arms could do: eating cereal,
because she tells us how
brushing my teeth and hair, getting dressed, and
things work when she does
yes, even wiping my own bottom. I know you're
little everyday things.
instantly wondering how I do it, and maybe I'll tell
I wonder if that helps her
you later… maybe. Until then, you'll just have to live
with stress and other stuff
in suspense.
like that.
6 Sure, these things take longer for me.
Frustration-mad or stress
Sometimes they take a lot longer. Sometimes I have
about something
to use a special tool like a hook or a strap or
something like that. And every now and then I want
to scream in frustration and kick a pillow until the
stuffing comes out because it's taken me twenty
minutes to get my pants buttoned. But I can button
my pants.
Student #2
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus Listen here
Context: Aven Green sometimes tells people Notes & Definitions:
that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling Aven doesn't have arms
that could affect her life a
match or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is lot.
she was born without them. When her parents
take a job running a rundown western theme park
in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the
country knowing that she’ll have to answer the Why is that kid scared that
she doesn't have arms?
question over and over again. Why doesn't his mother
correct him?
1 When I was little, a kid pointed at me on the
playground and shouted, “Her arms fell off!” then ran
away screaming in terror to his mom, who had to I wonder why she never
thought about never having
cuddle him on her lap and rub his head for like ten arms
minutes to get him to calm down. I think, up until then,
I hadn't thought about the idea that my arms must
have actually fallen off at some point in my life. I never Aven is a very capable
person
really thought about not having arms at all.
2 My missing arms weren't an issue for me or my
Her parents are very
parents. I never once heard either of them say, “Oh supporting and this is
important because it
no, Aven can't possibly do that because that's only for affects her life a lot
armed people,” or “Poor Aven is so helpless without
arms,” or “Maybe Aven can do that one day, you
know, if she ever grow some arms.” They always said
things like, “You'll have to do this differently from other I wonder why the kids mom
didn't make him apologize
people, but you can manage,” and “I know this is after she saw her crying.
challenging. Keep trying,” and “You're capable of
anything, Aven.”
3 I had never realized just how different I was until
the day that horrible kid shouted about my arms
having fallen off. For the first time I found myself
aware of my total armlessness, and I guess I felt like I Why didn't her mom tell
that to her sooner also I
was sort of naked all of a sudden. So I, too, ran to my think she would have
asked.
mom, and she scooped me up and carried me away
from the park, allowing my tears and snot to soak her
shirt.
4 As she drove us home at day, I sat whimpering
She can do anything
in my car seat and asked her what had happened to
people with arm can do
my arms and why they'd fallen off. She told me they
hadn't fallen off; I was just born like that. I asked her Does she want to tell
people?
how I could get some new ones. She said I couldn't. I
I wonder if she tells this to
wailed in despair, and she told me to stop crying a lot of people
because having arms was totally overrated. I didn't
know what overrated meant at the time because, like I I feel this is important
because I think it is
said, I was really little and so was my brain. important because it shows
how not having arms
5 Growing up, I could do most everything affects her in a negative
way.
everyone else with arms could do: eating cereal,
brushing my teeth and hair, getting dressed, and yes,
even wiping my own bottom. I know you're instantly
wondering how I do it, and maybe I'll tell you later…
maybe. Until then, you'll just have to live in suspense.
6 Sure, these things take longer for me.
Sometimes they take a lot longer. Sometimes I have
to use a special tool like a hook or a strap or
something like that. And every now and then I want to
scream in frustration and kick a pillow until the stuffing
comes out because it's taken me twenty minutes to
get my pants buttoned. But I can button my pants.
Student #3
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus Listen here
Context: Aven Green sometimes tells Notes & Definitions:
people that she lost her arms in an alligator • Aven was born with no
arms
wrestling match or a wildfire in Tanzania, but
the truth is she was born without them. When • I wonder why his mom
didn't make him
her parents take a job running a rundown apologize because how
do you think aven would
western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves feel
with them across the country knowing that • She never really thought
she was different
she’ll have to answer the question over and because she didn’t have
arms
over again.
• I wonder how it would
1 When I was little, a kid pointed at me on the be to have no arms and
how time consuming it
playground and shouted, “Her arms fell off!” then is.
ran away screaming in terror to his mom, who had
to cuddle him on her lap and rub his head for like
ten minutes to get him to calm down. I think, up
until then, I hadn't thought about the idea that my
arms must have actually fallen off at some point in
my life. I never really thought about not having
arms at all.
• Her parents are very
2 My missing arms weren't an issue for me or supportive and never
made her feel less
my parents. I never once heard either of them because she had no
arms
say, “Oh no, Aven can't possibly do that because
• I wonder if Aven seen
that's only for armed people,” or “Poor Aven is so another person with no
arms because how did
helpless without arms,” or “Maybe Aven can do she not notice she was
the only one with no
that one day, you know, if she ever grow some arms
arms.” They always said things like, “You'll have • Did her parents not
make her aware of her
to do this differently from other people, but you not having arms?
can manage,” and “I know this is challenging. • Does her parents have
enough money to buy
Keep trying,” and “You're capable of anything, one, or do they not want
to buy one?
Aven.”
3 I had never realized just how different I was
until the day that horrible kid shouted about my • Wailed (verb)
past tense: wailed; past
arms having fallen off. For the first time I found participle: wailed
myself aware of my total armlessness, and I
guess I felt like I was sort of naked all of a
sudden. So I, too, ran to my mom, and she
scooped me up and carried me away from the
park, allowing my tears and snot to soak her shirt.
4 As she drove us home at day, I sat
whimpering in my car seat and asked her what
had happened to my arms and why they'd fallen
off. She told me they hadn't fallen off; I was just • I wonder if she uses her
feet to do all of that stuff.
born like that. I asked her how I could get some
• Suspense (noun)
new ones. She said I couldn't. I wailed in despair, a state or feeling of
excited or anxious
and she told me to stop crying because having uncertainty about what
may happen.
arms was totally overrated. I didn't know what
• How long would it take?
overrated meant at the time because, like I said, I And does that mean she
has to wake up extra
was really little and so was my brain. early?
5 Growing up, I could do most everything
everyone else with arms could do: eating cereal,
brushing my teeth and hair, getting dressed, and
yes, even wiping my own bottom. I know you're
instantly wondering how I do it, and maybe I'll tell
you later… maybe. Until then, you'll just have to
live in suspense.
6 Sure, these things take longer for me.
Sometimes they take a lot longer. Sometimes I
have to use a special tool like a hook or a strap or
something like that. And every now and then I
want to scream in frustration and kick a pillow until
the stuffing comes out because it's taken me
twenty minutes to get my pants buttoned. But I
can button my pants.
