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A Short Story Podcast Series

"Interesting Things with JC" text on black radial background

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Link to Podcast Library or Scroll for Daily Feed

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

1304: "Astigmatism Lens Flares"

Interesting Things with JC #1304: "Astigmatism Lens Flares" – At night, a single headlight can turn into a firework. What you see may not be the road, but your eyes themselves. A flaw that’s not broken. Just bent.

JC 6/3/25 JC 6/3/25

1303: "Clock It"

Interesting Things with JC #1303: "Clock It" – A phrase that started on the stopwatch now signals everything from impact to instinct. What does it really mean to clock something?

JC 6/2/25 JC 6/2/25

1302: "The Man Who Controlled a Computer with His Mind"

Interesting Things with JC #1302: "The Man Who Controlled a Computer with His Mind" – A man paralyzed from the neck down typed with thought alone. What began as science fiction became proof that the mind can still move the world.

JC 5/31/25 JC 5/31/25

1300: "When the F5 Came to Pennsylvania"

Interesting Things with JC #1300: "When the F5 Came to Pennsylvania" – The funnel dropped fast. The roar came faster. Pennsylvania’s only F5 tornado left a scar on towns, science, and silence itself.

JC 5/30/25 JC 5/30/25

1299: "How to Properly Clean a Fish"

Interesting Things with JC #1299: "How to Properly Clean a Fish" – From Norwegian docks to Japanese markets, or out on the lake, cleaning fish was never just about hygiene, it was about survival, taste, and respect. The skill still matters.

JC 5/26/25 JC 5/26/25

1295: "Get Out and Move"

Interesting Things with JC #1295: "Get Out and Move" – A simple walk does more than stretch your legs. It grows your brain, lowers your stress, and resets your rhythm. The science is moving.

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

1294: "5/25/25"

Interesting Things with JC #1294: "5/25/25" – It’s a once-in-a-century number stack, where day, month, and year align. Not a palindrome, not a mirror, but something deeper. A date that won’t come again.

JC 5/22/25 JC 5/22/25

1291: "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome"

Interesting Things with JC #1292: "Improvise, Adapt, & Overcome" – Born in the field, refined by necessity, this Marine Corps mantra isn't about slogans. It's about survival when the plan fails. Where does grit come from?

JC 5/19/25 JC 5/19/25

1288: "Don't Put Dawn in the Dishwasher!"

Interesting Things with JC #1288: "Don't Put Dawn in the Dishwasher" – It’s iconic, beloved, even lifesaving. But the moment Dawn dish soap enters the wrong machine, all that trust turns into foam and costly regret.

JC 5/16/25 JC 5/16/25

1285: "The Serpent That Watches the Sky"

Interesting Things with JC #1285: "The Serpent That Watches the Sky" – A 1,348-foot serpent lies hidden on an Ohio bluff...coiled not for strike, but for story. No bones. No gold. Just dirt, sun, and the memory of a people who mapped the sky by hand.

JC 5/15/25 JC 5/15/25

1284: "Strawberries and Garlic are Companion Plants"

Interesting Things with JC #1284: "Strawberries and Garlic are Companion Plants" – They grow in silence, side by side, one sweet, one sharp. But together, strawberries and garlic create something nature alone couldn’t plan.

JC 5/14/25 JC 5/14/25

1283: "The Strange Strength of Mixed Emotions"

Interesting Things with JC #1283: "The Strange Strength of Mixed Emotions" – What if emotional health isn’t about staying positive, but embracing every feeling? A surprising link between biodiversity and mental resilience. This Story was inspired by Dr. Igo.

JC 5/12/25 JC 5/12/25

1281: "Wild Horse Hooves Explained"

Interesting Things with JC #1281: "Wild Horse Hooves Explained" – No blacksmith, no stable, just hooves hardened by motion, rock, and time. Discover how wild horses stay sound while domesticated ones require constant care.

JC 5/8/25 JC 5/8/25

1277: "Insulin’s Legacy - The Untold Stories"

Interesting Things with JC #1277: "Insulin’s Legacy: The Untold Stories" – A miracle drug born of compassion, then swallowed by conflict. This is the story behind the needle, and the price we still pay for what was once meant to be free.

JC 5/7/25 JC 5/7/25

1276: "What is SubTropolis?"

Interesting Things with JC #1276: "What is SubTropolis?" – Deep beneath Kansas City, an entire business district thrives in total darkness. It’s not science fiction. It’s real estate strategy, redefined underground.

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

1273: "What are Organoids?"

Interesting Things with JC #1273: "What are Organoids?" – They pulse, they grow, they even send signals. But they’re not fully human. Organoids are reshaping medicine, ethics, and our sense of what biology can do, on its own.

JC 5/2/25 JC 5/2/25

1271: "Strawberries and the Rose Family"

Interesting Things with JC #1271: "Strawberries and the Rose Family" – A strawberry may fill your bowl, but it’s also a cousin to the rose. The connection runs deeper than beauty or taste, it’s botanical bloodline.

JC 4/30/25 JC 4/30/25

1269: "What Is a Carnelian?"

Interesting Things with JC #1269: "What Is a Carnelian?" – Worn by soldiers, priests, and prophets, carnelian wasn’t just a gemstone. It was a signature, a spell, a centuries-old story carved into stone.

JC 4/28/25 JC 4/28/25

1267: "What is a Chicken Jockey?"

Interesting Things with JC #1267: "What is a Chicken Jockey?" – How a tiny, chaotic creature in Minecraft sparked a slang explosion, proving that kids still rule language evolution.

JC 4/27/25 JC 4/27/25

1266: "The Secret Life of a Single Note"

Interesting Things with JC #1266: "The Secret Life of a Single Note" – A single note is never just one sound. Dive into the hidden harmonies that shape how we hear, feel, and understand music itself.