IPA Lesson Plan #3 - Consonants

Sam Day

GRADE LEVEL: 10th-12th Grade

ABILITY LEVEL: Intermediate musicians

STANDARDS:
1. MU:Pr5.1.E.8a Develop strategies to address technical challenges in a varied repertoire
of music and evaluate their success using feedback from ensemble peers and other
sources to refine performances
2. MU:Pr4.1.E.8a Select a varied repertoire to study based on music reading skills (where
appropriate), an understanding of formal design in the music, context, and the technical
skill of the individual and ensemble.

OBJECTIVES:
1. A high school SATB choir class will be able to accurately understand and repeat IPA
consonant sounds with a success rate of 80%
2. A high school SATB choir will be able to analyze their own names, and translate them
into IPA with a success rate of 80%

PROCEDURE:
IPA Lesson
1. Begin the class by reviewing IPA lesson #2
a. Review the class by writing on the board all the diphthongs on the board, and
have them raise their hands and say the sound
i. /aʊ/ as in “Town”
ii. /aɪ/ as in “Light”
iii. /eɪ/ as in “Play”
iv. /oʊ/ as in “Slow”
v. /ɔɪ/ as in “Toy”
vi. /ɪə/ as in “Deer”
vii. /ʊə/ as in “Sure”
viii. /eə/ as in “Pair”
2. With that information reviewed, begin to explain how consonants in IPA work
a. Explain how similar to the vowels, every different consonant sound has its own
symbol
b. Many of the symbols are what one would expect them to be, but many have
different symbols
3. Write on the board the following consonants, and have the students repeat the sound
after you, giving the following real world examples
 a. pay [p]
b. bay [b]
c. may [m]
d. tie [t]
e. die [d]
f. no [n]
g. cake [k]
h. go [ɡ]
i. sing [ŋ]
j. fee [f]
k. vow [v]
l. so [s]
m. zoo [z]
n. thigh [θ]
o. they [ð]
p. show [ʃ]
q. Jacques[ʒ]
r. church [tʃ]
s. judge [dʒ]
t. lie [l]
u. rye [ɹ]
v. Trilled R [r]
w. yes [j]
x. weigh [w]
y. hay [h]
4. After the class is able to pronounce each consonant sound adequately, erase the consonant
sounds/examples and have the students raise their hands and fill in each IPA diphthong
with what english sounds the diphthong makes
5. Hand out copies of the Consonant Chart, found at the bottom of this document
a. Explain how the chart shows where each consonant comes from within the mouth,
and how forward or backward the placement of each consonant is.
6. End the lesson by having the students write their full name out in an IPA translation.
a. Assess the students as they work, walk around the room and see if they are
understanding IPA or still need some help, and give help if needed

MATERIALS: A laptop and projector may be needed to showcase artifacts such as the
Consonant Chart, which is attached at the end of document

ASSESSMENT: The teacher will hand out an exit slip 20 minutes before class ends, and have
the students work together in groups to complete the assessment on the following page
MODIFICATIONS/ACCOMMODATIONS:
Students with ADHD - keep the explanations brief, keep students engaged and ask questions
throughout

Students with Dyslexia - Make sure the Exit Slip assessment is printed in large, easy-to-read text,
and allow students to work in groups for the exit slip in case the student would need assistance.
Also repeat verbal instructions when given, and use both visual and auditory explanations
throughout the lesson

Consonant Chart:
Name_______________________________
Date_______________
IPA Consonant Exit Slip Assessment
Write the IPA translation for the following sentences:

Leonardo dreams of his flying machine

[ ]

Tormented by visions of flight and falling

[ ]

More wondrous and terrible each than the last

[ ]