Mountain range with peaks lit by sunlight and grassy foreground under a clear sky.

A Short Story Podcast Series

"Interesting Things with JC" text on black radial background

Link to Podcast Library or Scroll for Daily Feed

    • Episodes vary in duration from 30 seconds to 8 minutes.

    • All episodes are royalty free in their entirety—except for #509.

    • If you have an idea for an episode, please reach out to our team and we’ll happily schedule the topic for a future recording.

    • Priority is given to homeschooling parents, teachers, educators, and lifelong learning professionals.

    • Select episodes now include free curriculum materials at the bottom of the episode page, designed to support open education initiatives, teachers, classrooms, and homeschool use. These materials are aligned to multiple educational standards globally.

    • 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 over the air in various cities: in Detroit on 93.5 FM and WCSX-94.7 HD2, in Tampa on 1010 WHFS-AM, in Charlotte on 94.7 FM and WSOC-HD3, and in Ft. Myers/Naples on 96.5 FM, 101.5 FM, 105.1 FM, and WXKB-HD2.

  • Curriculum Summary for Educators, Homeschoolers, and Lifelong Learners

    Interesting Things with JC now features free curriculum materials to go with select episodes, created for teachers, homeschool families, and curious learners of all ages.

    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.

    • To review examples, check out any episode from #1235 to today, just scroll down.

    • Beginning with Episode #1307 we’re shifting to an open text format at the bottom of every MP3 page in the RSS. This should allow greater ease of access.

    • If you are using the curriculum your feedback is greatly appreciated, that’s how iterations like this continue to drive changes in the layout, and useability.

    • If you intend to feature the series on your podcast or use it in your broadcast feed as interstitial content, please tag us on social media and/or send us an email.

History, Podcast, Social JC History, Podcast, Social JC

799: "Lillie Langtry"

Interesting Things with JC #799: "Lillie Langtry" - Explore the fascinating life of actress Lillie Langtry, who rose to fame in the Victorian era and became the mistress of King Edward VII, leaving a mark on British society. From her theatrical success to her scandalous love affair, Langtry's story is one of intrigue and allure.

Read More
History, Podcast, Social JC History, Podcast, Social JC

796: "10:10"

Interesting Things with JC #796: "10:10" - Ever wondered why watches always show 10:10 in ads? It's a fascinating tale of aesthetics and history. Discover the secret of 10:10 and the meaning behind this unique advertising choice.

Read More
Podcast, Social JC Podcast, Social JC

689: "Inner Peace"

Interesting Things with JC #689: "Inner Peace" - Discover the undeniable truth that lasting happiness is rooted in inner peace, not material possessions. Unlock the secrets to genuine contentment and learn how to cultivate inner harmony in a world consumed by material pursuits, as revealed in this insightful account of life advice.

Read More
Podcast, News, History, Social JC Podcast, News, History, Social JC

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.

Read More
JC JC

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.

Read More