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.
1373: "Betelgeuse – The Unsteady Giant"
Interesting Things with JC #1373: "Betelgeuse – The Unsteady Giant" – In 2019, one of the brightest stars in our sky seemed to falter. What followed was a cosmic mystery of dust, pulse, and an ending still on its way.
1173: "Astrobiology and Extremophiles"
Interesting Things with JC #1173: "Astrobiology and Extremophiles" – Microbes that thrive in extreme environments may hold the key to life beyond Earth. Learn how extremophiles are shaping our understanding of the cosmos and space exploration.
1047: "Eagle Nebula"
Interesting Things with JC #1047: "Eagle Nebula" - Discover the Eagle Nebula, one of the most famous star-forming regions in the universe, located 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Serpens. It's a fascinating story about the "Pillars of Creation" and how it all connects to YOU!
931: "White Holes"
Interesting Things with JC #931: "White Holes" - Step into the mysterious realm of White Holes, cosmic objects that defy our understanding of space. Explore their strange properties and theories!
810: "Kozyrev Mirror"
Interesting Things with JC #810: "Kozyrev Mirror" - Dive into the world of Dr. Nikolai Kozyrev's controversial concept, where mirrors go beyond reflection, intertwining time, consciousness, and uncharted realms.
460: "Scientists Create a Miniature Universe"
Interesting Things with JC #460: "Scientists Create a Miniature Universe" - A group of physicists utilized a "quantum field simulator" to model an expanding ultracold atom cosmos, in a lab.
Viermann, Celia & Sparn, Marius & Liebster, Nikolas & Hans, Maurus & Kath, Elinor & Parra-López, Álvaro & Tolosa-Simeón, Mireia & Sánchez-Kuntz, Natalia & Haas, Tobias & Strobel, Helmut & Floerchinger, Stefan & Oberthaler, Markus. (2022). Quantum field simulator for dynamics in curved spacetime. Nature. 611. 260-264. 10.1038/s41586-022-05313-9.
381: "SLS & Artemis"
Interesting Things with JC #381: "SLS & Artemis" - The most powerful rocket in the world, designed to send humans to deep space, will be headed back to the moon.
251: "Space Weather"
Interesting Things with JC #251: "Space Weather" refers to the variable conditions on the sun and in space that can influence life on earth, as well as impact technology. It's believed that short-lived solar explosions don’t influence weather events like heat waves, but longer-term variations in solar output might affect Earth’s climate.