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A Short Story Podcast Series

"Interesting Things with JC" text on black radial background

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- Episodes run 30 seconds to 8 minutes.
- Send us your episode ideas, we’ll work the topics into future recordings, and credit you.
- Homeschooling parents, teachers, and lifelong learners get priority.
- Many episodes include free curriculum materials aligned to global standards.
Legal Disclaimer
All episodes of Interesting Things with JC are provided free of charge for educational purposes under fair use, with the exception of Episode #509. The series, including its associated curriculum and materials, may not be copied, resold, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written agreement and consent from JimConnors LLC. Unauthorized commercial use, reproduction, or distribution is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved © JimConnors LLC.
- The podcast is currently in common carriage on the Podcast Radio Network.
- In London, you can listen to the Podcast Radio Network over the air on DAB+ and access its variety of podcasts and audio content directly through your DAB+ radio.
- In the USA, you can listen to Interesting Things with JC on Podcast Radio US in these cities:
  Detroit – WCSX 94.7 HD2
  Tampa – 1010 WJBR-AM
  Charlotte – 94.7 FM and WSOC-HD3
  Fort Myers / Naples – 96.5 FM, 101.5 FM, 105.1 FM, and WXKB-HD2
  You can also stream it nationwide at PodcastRadioUS.com
Kick off class with a quick boost. Play an episode of Interesting Things with JC to get your students interested right off the bat. The short stories are easy to follow, and the free curriculum gives you everything you need to turn that spark into a full lesson with questions, activities, and real learning.
Each episode includes a modular micro-lesson designed to support a 30 to 45 minute class. Curriculum content appears at the bottom of the episode page in easy-to-use expandable sections.
Each lesson includes:
- Lesson overview (title, grade level, subject area, learning objectives)
- Key vocabulary with phonetic spelling and plain-language definitions
- Core story content based on the Precise Storytelling Framework
- Full podcast transcript
- Student worksheet with comprehension and writing prompts
- Teacher guide with pacing, strategies, and discussion tools
- Quiz and assessment rubric
- Standards alignment across multiple global frameworks
We are currently piloting lesson alignment to:

Approved Standards – High-Level List
- NGSS – Next Generation Science Standards
- CCSS – Common Core State Standards (ELA and Math)
- C3 Framework – College, Career & Civic Life (Social Studies)
- ISTE Standards – Technology and Digital Literacy
- NCAS – National Core Arts Standards
- CTE Career Clusters – U.S. Career & Technical Education
- ACRL Framework – Higher Ed Information Literacy
- Bloom’s Taxonomy – Cognitive Learning Objectives
- UDL – Universal Design for Learning (Accessibility Support)
International Academic Equivalents (Content-Only)
- UK National Curriculum – Key Stages 3–5 (England)
- AQA / OCR / Edexcel – UK Exam Board Specifications
- IB (International Baccalaureate) – PYP, MYP, DP (academic subjects only)
- Cambridge International – IGCSE, AS/A-Level (non-political content areas)
All lessons are open educational resources (OER) and designed with homeschool flexibility in mind.
Disclaimer:Interesting Things with JC and its companion curriculum are provided for educational purposes under fair use. They are free to access and share for teaching and learning, but not for resale or commercial distribution.
- Examples: Browse any episode from #1235 to the present.
- Format Update: Starting with Episode #1307, each MP3 page in the RSS includes open text at the bottom for easier access.
- Feedback: Curriculum users, your input helps improve layout and usability. Your feedback is welcomed.
- Older Episodes: If you find one without curriculum, drop me a line. I’ll prioritize building it out. The goal is for every episode to have full resources.

JC 4/26/25 JC 4/26/25

1265: "Tavistock, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd: Unraveling the Conspiracy Theory"

Interesting Things with JC #1265: "Tavistock, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd: Unraveling the Conspiracy Theory" – Were the biggest bands of the 60s the voice of a generation...or the tools of hidden hands? Journey into a world where truth and theory collide.

JC 4/23/25 JC 4/23/25

1262: "How Does a Septic Tank Work?"

Interesting Things with JC #1262: "How Does a Septic Tank Work?" – Beneath lawns and forgotten fences lies a quiet system that doesn’t just collect waste, it partners with nature to finish what we flush away. What happens next may surprise you.

JC 4/22/25 JC 4/22/25

1261: "Grapes of Spring"

Interesting Things with JC #1261: "Grapes of Spring" – In Silver Creek, spring smells like diesel and compost. Before the harvest joy comes the risk: frost, mud, and a thousand swelling buds...each one carrying a season’s hope.

JC 4/21/25 JC 4/21/25

1259: "Farming in April"

Interesting Things with JC #1259: "Farming in April" – A moment too soon and it’s disaster. A moment too late and the field’s already lost. In America’s Breadbasket, April doesn’t wait...it dares you to act.

JC 4/20/25 JC 4/20/25

1258: "The History of Peeps!"

Interesting Things with JC #1258: "The History of Peeps!" – They’re soft, sweet, and seemingly simple, but beneath the sugar lies a story of postwar innovation, seasonal tradition, and quiet cultural dominance.

JC 4/19/25 JC 4/19/25

1257: "Easter Lily"

Interesting Things with JC #1257: "Easter Lily" – It didn’t begin in scripture. It began on a volcanic island, thousands of miles from any altar. A flower of timing, trade, and quiet trust…just when it's needed most.

JC 4/18/25 JC 4/18/25

1256: "The Smell of Fresh Bread Out of the Oven"

Interesting Things with JC #1256: "The Smell of Fresh Bread Out of the Oven" – Before alarms and sunrise, there was the scent. For centuries, fresh bread meant more than food, it meant life was still going. Why does this smell still matter?

JC 4/17/25 JC 4/17/25

1255: "Fire from Ice"

Interesting Things with JC #1255: "Fire from Ice" – You’re stranded in the cold, with nothing but a chunk of ice, and somehow, that’s enough to survive. Refraction, focus, and fire from frozen water.

JC 4/16/25 JC 4/16/25

1254: "The Cost Beneath Our Feet"

Interesting Things with JC #1254: "The Cost Beneath Our Feet" – What happens when history is inconvenient? Across highways, housing tracts, and football fields, the dead have been displaced and dignity buried with them.

JC 4/15/25 JC 4/15/25

1253: "What is a Burl?"

Interesting Things with JC #1253: "What is a Burl?" – They look like tumors on trees, but inside, something astonishing is happening. Burls are born from trauma, yet transform into natural masterpieces.

JC 4/13/25 JC 4/13/25

1251: "The Gene That Won’t Let Go"

Interesting Things with JC #1251: "The Gene That Won’t Let Go" – What happens when nature stops choosing and we start writing the rules? A gene that refuses to vanish may reshape every wild thing we know.

JC 4/9/25 JC 4/9/25

1247: "The Mathematics Behind Music Theory"

Interesting Things with JC #1247: "The Mathematics Behind Music Theory" – Before notes had names or music had rules, harmony was already written in numbers. Explore how math shaped every sound you’ve ever heard, and why it still does.

JC 4/6/25 JC 4/6/25

1244: "Operation Midnight Climax: The CIA's Covert Safehouses"

Interesting Things with JC #1244: "Operation Midnight Climax: The CIA's Covert Safehouses" – Behind a one-way mirror, the CIA drugged Americans in secret safehouses, searching for a new kind of control. The truth leaked decades later, but not before the bourbon was poured.

JC 4/5/25 JC 4/5/25

1243: "Mystery of Dark Matter and Dark Energy"

Interesting Things with JC, Episode #1243: "Mystery of Dark Matter and Dark Energy" – Only 5% of the universe is visible. The rest? It’s hidden in plain sight. Explore the invisible forces shaping our universe.

JC 4/4/25 JC 4/4/25

1242: "The Mountain Named for Gods"

Interesting Things with JC #1242: "The Mountain Named for Gods" – In the remote Canadian Arctic, Mount Asgard rises like something forged by myth. Named after the Norse realm of gods, this twin-peaked mountain once staged a legendary James Bond stunt, but its deeper story is carved in stone and memory.

JC 4/3/25 JC 4/3/25

1241: "The Day the Sky Erased the Map"

Interesting Things with JC #1241: "The Day the Sky Erased the Map" –On April 3, 1974, a record-setting storm system spawned 148 tornadoes across 13 states. More than 330 lives were lost, entire towns vanished, and America’s understanding of severe weather was forever changed. From twin F5s to meteorological breakthroughs, this episode unpacks the day the sky turned against us.

JC 4/2/25 JC 4/2/25

1240: “Opossum vs Possum”

Interesting Things with JC, Episode #1240: “Opossum vs Possum” – A silent "o" hides a massive biological and cultural divide. From death-fainting opossums in North America to the tree-hugging possums of Australia, this episode breaks down the myth, the history, and the science behind these marsupials.

JC 4/1/25 JC 4/1/25

1239: “The Manitou Springs Incline”

Interesting Things with JC, Episode #1239: “The Manitou Springs Incline” — Once a cog railway, now a near-vertical climb of 2,744 steps. It's not just a hike. It's a test.

JC 3/31/25 JC 3/31/25

1238: "The Calendar That Made Fools"

Interesting Things with JC, Episode #1238: "The Calendar That Made Fools" – In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII dropped 10 days, rewrote leap year rules, and declared January 1st the new start of the year. But not everyone complied. The pranksters came next, and the fools followed.

JC 3/30/25 JC 3/30/25

1237: "Cryo-Electron Microscopy"

Interesting Things with JC #1237: "Cryo-Electron Microscopy" – Discover the breakthrough that allows scientists to image molecules as they truly are—hydrated, moving, and intact. By freezing samples at -150°C and using electrons instead of light, cryo-EM delivers near-atomic resolution that’s transforming medicine and molecular biology.