A Short Story Podcast Series
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Interesting Things with JC is free to use for teaching and learning under fair use. Educators, homeschooling parents, librarians, and lifelong learners have broad rights to use the episodes and curriculum in any instructional setting. One exception applies to Episode #509: “Harry Chapin and Jim Connors”, which is not covered under this open educational permission.
Full curriculum support begins at Episode #1235: “Three Turns to Freedom”. Any earlier episode without curriculum can be prioritized by request. Educators may contact JimConnors LLC directly, and a matching curriculum module will be created and added to the site.
Teachers and homeschooling families are welcome to use, play, share, print, and adapt all eligible episodes and curriculum materials for lesson planning, instruction, student assignments, LMS uploads, and any other direct educational activity. No special approval is required for everyday classroom use. Crediting the show is appreciated when possible.
This permission does not extend to commercial activity. The episodes and curriculum may not be repackaged, resold, redistributed as a standalone program, or presented as original work by any third party. Any commercial or branded use requires prior written consent from JimConnors LLC. Episode #509: “Harry Chapin and Jim Connors” follows its own restrictions and is excluded from open educational use.
Educators may freely use the content in classrooms, homeschools, co-ops, tutoring programs, library settings, and adult education. They may revise or adapt curriculum pages, print transcripts, share episode links, or integrate materials into their lessons as needed. What is not allowed is turning the work into a paid course, selling derivatives, posting content under another brand, or redistributing the series as a separate product.
Summary:
Free for education.
Not for resale.
Not for commercial repackaging.
Episode #1235: “Three Turns to Freedom” and onward includes full curriculum.
Older episodes can receive curriculum by request.
Episode #509: “Harry Chapin and Jim Connors” is excluded.
All rights reserved © JimConnors LLC. -
Interesting Things with JC is available on the Podcast Radio format in the United Kingdom and the United States. Listeners can tune in on the radio in select cities or stream the station online from anywhere.
United Kingdom – Podcast Radio (UK)
Podcast Radio is a 24-hour all-podcast station based in London. It broadcasts on DAB+ digital radio across London and several other supported UK regions, with full worldwide access through its online stream.
Interesting Things with JC is included in Podcast Radio’s curated programming lineup.
Listeners in the United Kingdom can hear the station on DAB+ receivers in covered areas, through the Podcast Radio website, or through the station’s online and mobile streaming platforms.
United States – Podcast Radio US
In the United States, Interesting Things with JC airs as part of Podcast Radio US across four regional markets. The format is carried on HD Radio channels and FM translators.
Detroit, Michigan: WCSX 94.7 HD2 and 93.5 FM
Tampa Bay, Florida: 1010 WJBR AM
Charlotte, North Carolina: 94.7 FM and WSOC HD3
Fort Myers and Naples, Florida: WXKB HD2, 96.5 FM, 101.5 FM, and 105.1 FMNationwide listening is available through the station’s website at PodcastRadioUS.com.
Streaming Access
Podcast Radio UK and Podcast Radio US both offer live streaming through their official websites and mobile platforms, allowing listeners worldwide to hear Interesting Things with JC as part of the network’s curated programming.
The show is also available across major podcast and audio platforms, including Podcast Radio, Podverse, Headliner, Amazon, Apple, Audacy, Audible, Castbox, Deezer, fyyd, GoodPods, iHeartRadio, JioSaavn, Listen Notes, Pandora, PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Republic, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher, and YouTube.
In addition to audio platforms, listeners can follow and stream content on social media through Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube.
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Start class with a short, clear story your students can follow from the first sentence. Play an episode of Interesting Things with JC and use the free curriculum to guide a full lesson with questions, activities, and applied learning.
Every episode from #1235 forward includes a modular micro lesson designed for a 30 to 45 minute class period. At the bottom of each episode page, you will find expandable sections that organize all curriculum materials for teachers, parents, and homeschool families.
Each lesson includes:
Lesson overview with title, grade band, subject area, and learning objectives
Key vocabulary with phonetic spelling and plain language definitions
Core story content created through the Precise Storytelling Framework
Full podcast transcript
Student worksheet with comprehension and writing activities
Teacher guide with pacing notes, strategies, and discussion tools
Quiz or quick check assessment with a scoring rubric
Standards alignment across multiple national and international frameworks
ADA compliant alt text for all instructional media
Links to approved primary sources used for fact checking
Guidance for homeschool adaptation and flexible scheduling
All curriculum materials are created through the Narrative Intelligence System to ensure accuracy, accessibility, and age-appropriate delivery. Lessons stay free of ideological frameworks and focus on academic content only.
Standards Alignment
Interesting Things with JC aligns each micro lesson with the following approved educational standards:
United States National Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English Language Arts and Mathematics
College, Career, and Civic Life Framework for Social Studies (C3 Framework)
International Society for Technology in Education Standards (ISTE Standards)
National Core Arts Standards (NCAS)
Career and Technical Education Career Clusters (CTE Career Clusters)
Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy (ACRL Framework)
Bloom’s Taxonomy for Cognitive Learning Objectives
Universal Design for Learning Guidelines (UDL Guidelines)
Additional United States Alignment Areas
Alignment to state and provincial academic standards when content applies
Media and Information Literacy standards
Social Emotional Learning and 21st Century Skills frameworks
Financial Literacy and Employability Skills standards
English as a Second Language and World Language vocabulary support when applicable
International Academic Equivalents (Content-Based Alignment Only)
United Kingdom National Curriculum, Key Stages 3 to 5
AQA, OCR, and Edexcel Examination Board Specifications
International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and Diploma Programme (IB PYP, MYP, DP)
Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education and Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced Level (Cambridge IGCSE and AS/A Level)
Access, Use, and OER Licensing
All lessons are published as Open Educational Resources and may be used, printed, or shared for teaching and learning in classrooms, homeschools, and tutoring environments. Materials are provided for educational use under fair use and may not be resold or distributed commercially.
Episodes from #1235 forward include complete curriculum materials. If you find an older episode without a micro lesson, reach out and it will be moved to the front of the build queue. Starting with Episode #1307, each MP3 page in the RSS feed includes open text at the bottom of the page for quick access to transcripts and curriculum notes.
Teacher and homeschool feedback is always welcome to help improve clarity and layout.
1087: "The Lady in Red: The Haunting of Chicago’s Drake Hotel"
Interesting Things with JC #1087: "The Lady in Red: The Haunting of Chicago’s Drake Hotel" - On New Year’s Eve, 1920, heartbreak turned deadly at Chicago’s Drake Hotel, leaving behind the ghostly legend of The Lady in Red.
867: "The White Bluff Screamer"
Interesting Things with JC #867: "The White Bluff Screamer" unravels the haunting post-WWI mystery in Montgomery Bell State Park, in Eastern Tennessee, where a settler confronts a creature emitting eerie screams. As the legend unfolds, tragedy strikes, leading to a desperate search and encounters with ghostly figures or massive beasts.
678: "Pistyll Rhaeadr"
Interesting Things with JC #678: "Pistyll Rhaeadr" - Discover the enchanting Pistyll Rhaeadr, Wales' tallest waterfall, where nature's beauty meets legend. Immerse yourself in its history, feel the awe-inspiring power, and embrace the mystical!
604: "Selkies"
Interesting Things with JC #604: "Selkies" - Selkies are creatures that are half-fish and half-human. They are mentioned in Celtic and Scottish mythology. It's believed they shed their skin and become humans when they land. They seem to always be looking for people who are missing something. Selkie legend lives on in remote coastal areas and on islands.
579: "Johnny Appleseed Day"
Interesting Things with JC #579: "Johnny Appleseed Day" - Johnny Appleseed was an American pioneer of tree farming who planted apple trees in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, parts of what is now Ontario Canada, and the northern counties of West Virginia. Let's learn more about this legendary apple farmer!
516: "Hippos Sweat Red"
Interesting Things with JC #516: "Hippos Sweat Red" - they secrete a reddish fluid, mistakenly believed to be sweat or blood, that has antibiotic and sunscreen properties. Some biologists say it could be a great lip balm for people. Thank you to Haley at Applebees in Cheektowaga, New York, for suggesting the topic for today.
444: "Werewolves"
Interesting Things with JC #444: “Werewolves”-According to legend, "werewolves" are people who shape-shift into vicious, ravenous monsters in a powerful wolf-like form.
439: "The Headless Horseman"
Interesting Things with JC #439: "The Headless Horseman" - The story of the Headless Horseman starts in Sleepy Hollow, New York, and is based on some real events.
438: "Samhain & Halloween"
Interesting Things with JC #438: "Samhuinn & Hallows' Eve" - You can find the roots of Halloween in the Celtic Samhain festival in Ireland.
432: "Jack Johnson"
Interesting Things with JC #432: "Jack Johnson" is one of the most significant heavyweight champions of all time.
427: "Roy Hamilton"
Interesting Things with JC #427: "Roy Hamilton" infused the Great American Songbook with soul by fusing semi-classical technique with passionate traditional black gospel. Many singers covered his 1955 hit "Unchained Melody."
404: "Glastenbury Mountain and the Bennington Triangle"
Interesting Things with JC #404 "Glastenbury Mountain and the Bennington Triangle" - People have gone missing in this thick forest, surrounded by well-known ghost towns. Could the legendary Bigfoot of Vermont be to blame?
347: "The Tower of London's Famous Ravens"
Interesting Things with JC #347: "The Tower of London's Famous Ravens" - The kingdom of England and the Tower of London are said to be doomed if the six ravens who live there ever leave. The Tower is currently inhabited by nine ravens.
342: "Phantom Towns"
Interesting Things with JC #342: "Phantom Towns" are places that exist solely on paper maps but have no physical presence in the real world. All of them are either blunders or deliberate attempts to break the law.
332: "Modesto"
Interesting Things with JC #332: "Modesto" - The Central Pacific Railroad established the city of Modesto in the 1860s. William Chapman Ralston, a railway director, was meant to be honored by having the city bear his name, but he graciously rejected it. Workers who spoke Spanish and attended the naming ceremony for the city found this quite humble of him. The city was thus given the name Modesto.
248: "The Space Coast"
Interesting Things with JC #248: "The Space Coast" is a region in the U.S. state of Florida around the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. One reason rockets are launched in Florida has to do with the Earth's rotation. From rockets to surfing, salt to searching for the fountain of youth, the SpaceCoast of Florida is a treasure to behold. Click to Listen!
127 Interesting Things - Pandas
An adult Giant Panda can grow as tall as five feet and they can weigh as much as 350 pounds. They can also consume 45 pounds of bamboo shoots in one day. Let's talk Pandas and discover more interesting things!