A Short Story Podcast Series
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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.
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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
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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 ListNGSS – 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.
1398: "American Paint Horse"
Interesting Things with JC #1398: "American Paint Horse" – Paint horses stood out on the open plains. From Spanish explorers to Comanche warriors to modern ranchers, their bold coats and strong build made them unforgettable.
1397: "What is a Florida Ounce?"
Interesting Things with JC #1397: "What is a Florida Ounce?" – “Fl oz” doesn’t stand for Florida. Once everyday knowledge, now a mystery hiding on labels and measuring cups...
1396: "An Animal Lying on the Side of the Road Probably Isn’t Sick or Napping"
Interesting Things with JC #1396: "An Animal Lying on the Side of the Road Probably Isn’t Sick or Napping" – A deer in the ditch with stiff legs isn’t snoozing. Roadside naps aren’t real.
1395: "September 2nd - The Beginning and the End"
Interesting Things with JC #1395: "September 2nd - The Beginning and the End" – From the invasion of Poland to the peace aboard the USS Missouri, this episode traces the terrifying symmetry of a world at war, and what it left behind.
1394: "The Great Barrington UFO Encounter of 1969"
Interesting Things with JC #1394: "The Great Barrington UFO Encounter of 1969" – One peaceful night in 1969, the skies over western Massachusetts lit up, and so did the phone lines. What followed became one of America’s most credible UFO cases.
1393: "Mary Ann Nichols: The First Victim of Jack the Ripper"
Interesting Things with JC #1393: "Mary Ann Nichols: The First Victim of Jack the Ripper" – A foggy street. A missing four pennies. A discovery that shook Victorian London and ignited a legend. But behind the mystery is a woman whose name demands to be remembered.
1392: "What is Calculus"
Interesting Things with JC #1392: "What is Calculus" – Born from falling apples and planetary paths, calculus transformed how we measure change. From stone counters to rocket fuel, this is the math that moves the universe.
1391: "Sauerkraut Balls"
Interesting Things with JC #1391: "Sauerkraut Balls" – A fried ball of sauerkraut and pork became more than food, it became identity. From Akron cookbooks to Oktoberfest halls, this Ohio snack carries the weight of immigrant tradition inside its crisp golden shell.
1390: "Dr. Joseph Murphy"
Interesting Things with JC #1390: "Joseph Murphy" – From a small Irish village to a global bestseller. In 1963, as the world feared missiles and mourned Kennedy, Murphy showed the greatest power was in the mind.
1389: "Krakatoa"
Interesting Things with JC #1389: "Krakatoa" – In 1883, a single island roared so loud it was heard 3,000 miles away. Krakatoa tore the Earth, shook the seas, and painted the skies blood red. One day when the whole world felt it.
1388: "How are Fossils Made?"
Interesting Things with JC #1388: "How are Fossils Made?" – Out of billions of living things, only a rare few survive as stone memories of the past. From vanished bones to insects in amber, fossils reveal life’s fragile gamble against time and chance. This episode was inspired by DR Igo
1387: "Northwest Mountain Rose Apples"
Interesting Things with JC #1387: "Northwest Mountain Rose Apples" – On the outside, ordinary. Inside, shocking crimson. A fruit that ties ancient Kazakh forests to modern Northwest valleys, carrying beauty, health, and rarity in every bite.
1386: "Water Can Boil and Freeze at the Same Time"
Interesting Things with JC #1386: "Water Can Boil and Freeze at the Same Time" – Fire and ice at once? At the triple point, water boils, freezes, and steams in a single breath. It's a scientific paradox that defies expectation.
1385: "Judge Frank Caprio"
Interesting Things with JC #1385: "Judge Frank Caprio" – From the son of an immigrant fruit seller to America’s “nicest judge,” Frank Caprio carried justice with compassion. His legacy lives not in verdicts, but in the lives he touched.
1384: "Does Black Paint Make Metal Hotter"
Interesting Things with JC #1384: "Does Black Paint Make Metal Hotter" – A black bumper scorches, a white one simmers. Behind that burn lies the physics of light, heat, and a 160-year-old discovery that still shapes everything from cars to spacecraft.
1383: "Hawaii, the 50th Star"
Interesting Things with JC #1383: "Hawaii, the 50th Star" – Bells rang, fireworks lit the night, and a new star joined the flag. Hawaii’s statehood wasn’t just politics, it was belonging.
1382: "Lazy Pierogi"
Interesting Things with JC #1382: "Lazy Pierogi" – A shortcut that still tastes like tradition. From church basements to kitchen tables, this humble dish carries comfort, memories, and grit in every bite.
1381: "Terence Stamp"
Interesting Things with JC #1381: "Terence Stamp" – From the shadow of the Blitz to the heights of cinema, he carried presence like a weapon. Few actors could command silence, power, and myth across six decades. This is the story of a gaze that never let go.
1380: "The Battery that Refuses to Die"
Interesting Things with JC #1380: "The Battery that Refuses to Die" – At Oxford, a mysterious battery has powered two bells for nearly 185 years. Unopened, unexplained, and still ringing. How can something built in 1840 outlast our smartest tech?
1379: "The Tunnel That Never Thaws"
Interesting Things with JC #1379: "The Tunnel That Never Thaws" – Carved into ancient permafrost, this frozen tunnel holds more than ice, it holds time. From mammoth hair to volcanic ash, it’s a living archive beneath Alaska’s surface.