English One - A Pebble Hill High School Podcast: Recent Episodes
Chris Cortez and Matthew Munden
While schools are shutdown across the country due to COVID-19, two English 1 teachers from Pebble Hills High School decide to create a podcast that brings the type of geeky conversations they’d like to be having with their classes online.
On this episode, Christopher Silva stops by to discuss the process of putting the Pebble Hills Yearbook together through Remote Teaching/Learning. You can order your copy here: https://ybstore.friesens.com/stores/7.... Cortez and Silva discuss the The Last Dance and Munden feels left out. Munden discusses and explains what Animal Crossing is to another guest and Cortez is bored. All this and a flashback to when Munden got a concussion during his final track meet on this week's off-topic episode!
On this episode, Cortez and Munden identify film directors that focus on similar themes throughout their filmographies. Subjects include Wes Anderson, Terrance Malick, and David Lynch.
On this off-topic episode of the podcast, not 1, not 2, but 3 guests (Ms. Esparza, Ms. Martinez, and Ms. Olivas) join Cortez and Munden to discuss how they've been handling Remote Teaching in the classroom and the requirements of supporting the entire school. Topics include baking banana bread, repairing seemingly everything at home, the tv show Cheers and what to watch on Netflix, and how the novel Moby Dick summons midnight roof prowlers.
On this episode, Cortez and Munden create a list of their Top 8 Hero's Journey films. Spoilers for all the films discussed: John Wick (steaming on SYFY or available to rent), 300 (available to rent only), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (steaming on FX or available to rent), Die Hard (steaming on HBO Now), Mad Max: Fury Road (available to rent only), Saving Private Ryan (available to stream via DirectTV or available to rent), Pan's Labyrinth (steaming on Netflix), and Avengers: Endgame (steaming on Disney Plus).
On this off-topic episode, Mr. Akers and returning guest Ms. Choi join Mr. Cortez and Mr. Munden to discuss how they've been keeping busy. Topics include good films vs. trash films, Ayn Rand's influence in Bioshock, and the importance of having a schedule during this remote learning experience.
On this episode, Cortez and Munden discuss the meaning behind the words you read. Examples include Macbeth and Art of War
On this off-topic episode, Coach Favela and Coach Lopez join Mr. Munden and Coach Cortez to discuss the shortened school year and how that effected the scheduled games for Baseball and Soccer. Plus Coach Lopez discusses his recent Lego purchases and Coach Favela shares a sad story about a broken Playstation controller.
On this episode, Cortez and Munden discuss examples of direct and indirect characterization in No Country for Old Men, The Usual Suspects, Lost, and more.
On this off-topic episode, Cortez and Munden welcome Ms. Choi and Mr. Williams and discuss what they've been up to during the shelter-in-place order. Topics include Choi's new position as a SCEI at Sun Ridge Middle School, using video conference software in the classroom, watching cooking shows (The Chef Show) and making onion soup, FX's Devs and Mrs. America, and the upside of using this time to focus on the world around us.
On the fifth episode, Cortez and Munden discuss making inferences and understanding symbolism while also talking about Munden's awkward graphic novel class presentation in college and a whole lot of movies (Star Wars (cause of course...), Inception, Of Mice and Men (technically a book and a movie), and Killing Them Softly).
On the fourth episode, Munden and Cortez invite Ms. Escobar and Mr. Farmer to talk about how they've been handling the stay at home/shelter in place rule. On this off-topic episode, they discuss the tv show Ozark, praise Zoom's quality and instantly encounter technical difficulties, talk about the 4(?) Spider-Men, and whether to eat string cheese as string or whole.
In the third episode, Cortez and Munden talk about novels including the ill choices Munden has made when picking what to read during the shelter in place. They briefly get sidetracked and talk about Star Trek and James Bond movies (editor note: including lesser movies like Star Trek Into Darkness and Spectre) before giving students some recommendations on what to read (the Scott Pilgrim series, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Moby Dick, Fahrenheit 451, and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo).
On the second episode, Cortez and Munden give corrections on their previous episode, discuss JRR Tolkien, and recommend Samurai Jack on Adult Swim / Hulu.
Send an email to Cortez or Munden with any questions or comments for the podcast.
In this inaugural episode, Cortez and Munden discuss how their daily lives have changed since Spring Break and talk about the topic for the last 9 weeks of the school year: the hero's journey.
PHHS Students: email Mr. Munden or Mr. Cortez with your questions or record a voice message with a question, comment, suggestion, etc. to hear yourself on the next email.