The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Lesson Plan

Author Comparison

Kind of Activity:

Individual Writing

Objective:

Students will be able to compare different authors' writing in the same style.

Structure:

Have students read an except from Gay Talese's article "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold." This can be read individually or popcorn-style as a class. After reading, take roughly 20-25 minutes to review elements of New Journalism. A good overview can be found here. Facilitate a discussion on the basic elements of New Journalism, and encourage students to identify those elements in both the writings of Wolfe and Talese. Probe students to discuss the following questions:

-What structural elements differentiate New...