A Short Story Podcast Series
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Link to Podcast Library or Scroll for Daily Feed
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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.
960: "Australia is Wider than the Moon"
Interesting Things with JC #960: "Australia is Wider than the Moon" - Delve into the vastness of Australia's landmass!
469: "I-35 Little Czech Bakery"
Interesting Things with JC #469: "I-35 Little Czech Bakery" - They sell fresh Czech pastries, coffee, travel pillows, and tamales, and is a typical Texas rest stop too. A poster in the store says that each week, the Czech Stop bakes with more than 1,200 pounds of cream cheese, 9,000 pounds of flour, 750 gallons of milk, 2,400 pounds of butter, 1,300 pounds of sausage, 2,100 dozen eggs, and 2,500 pounds of American cheese.
They’re the home of Kolache (pronounced "koh-LAH-chee") and klobasnek (pronounced "klo-BAH-snik") which are Czech pastries that is wildly popular in Texas.
457: "Sneezing Can Break Your Ribs"
Interesting Things with JC #457: "Sneezing Can Break Your Ribs" - You could break a rib if you sneeze too hard!
456: "Tongue Prints"
Interesting Things with JC #456: "Tongue Prints" - Like fingerprints, each person has a unique tongue print. The tongue is an important organ inside the mouth that is well protected from the outside world. It has unique parts that are different for each person, even between identical twins.
235: "Sea of Okhotsk"
Interesting Things with JC - #235: “Sea of Okhotsk” is at the same latitude as the Gulf of Alaska, but unlike the Gulf, the sea freezes between October and March. At 611,000 square miles (1,583,000 sq km) the sea is considered one of the richest north temperate marine ecosystems in the world, and one of the most biologically productive of the world’s seas.
144 Interesting Things - Dimples
Dimples are associated with beauty, happiness, and good luck. Only 20%-30% of the world’s population has dimples. Although dimples are recognized as a sign of beauty, they are actually a result of a muscle deformity in your face.
135 Interesting Things - New Years Ball Drop
Before we ring in the new year, let's discover some interesting things about the new years eve ball drop. Did you know the Times Square ball wasn't the first to drop? (4 min audio)
134 Interesting Things - Hum while you hold your Nose!
Can you hum While you hold your nose? When you hum, you are actually exhaling, so if both your mouth and your nose are closed, the air can't leave, there's no where for it to go!
126 Interesting Things - Palindrome Dates
Palindrome dates, by their very nature, only occur in the early centuries of a millennium. There will be 36 of them during this millennium, with the last one occurring on Sept. 22, 2290.
106: “Spitting”
Interesting Things with JC #106: “Spitting” - Exploring the social norms, legal implications, and potential severity of spitting. Let's delve into this intriguing topic!