A Short Story Podcast Series
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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.
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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 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.
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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 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.
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.
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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.
982: "Skinny Fat"
Interesting Things with JC #982: "Skinny Fat" - An exploration into the complexities of normal-weight obesity, uncovering the hidden health risks of being skinny fat and the importance of body composition in overall well-being.
964: "Sleepless Under Full Moon"
Interesting Things with JC #964: "Sleepless Under Full Moon" - Discover the intriguing reasons behind disrupted sleep during a full moon and explore the fascinating effects of lunar phases on our nightly rest.
926: "1938 Baird Colour TV Demonstration"
Interesting Things with JC #926: "1938 Baird Colour TV Demonstration" - Unveiling a revolution in television history, the demonstration showcased vibrant colors and cutting-edge innovation. Witness the journey of early television and its impact on entertainment.
545: "Schumann - Symphony No. 3 - Rheinisch"
Interesting Things with JC #545: "Schumann: Symphony No. 3 - Rheinisch" premiered Feb 1851 in Düsseldorf, a significant & beloved work in classical music.
Robert Schumann was a composer and conductor of the Romantic era. His "Rhenish" Symphony, also known as Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, was a masterpiece that demonstrated how he experimented with orchestration and musical language. Schumann's "Rhenish" Symphony was premiered in Düsseldorf in February 1851.
This was a big deal in the music world at the time, and it cemented Schumann's reputation as one of the best composers of his generation. While traveling through Germany's Rhineland, Schumann had inspiration for the symphony. It wasn't your typical classical symphony, and it included local folk music.
The "Rheinisch” (or “Rhenish") Symphony is still an important and well-loved piece of classical music because it expresses emotion, employs inventive musical language, and employs novel ways of arranging music.
528: "Antarctic Meteorite"
Interesting Things with JC #528: "Antarctic Meteorite" - International scientists discover 5 meteorites, including one weighing 16.7 pounds, in Antarctica using satellite imagery.
Ref - https://actus.ulb.be/fr/actus/recherche/mission-en-antarctique-decouverte-dune-meteorite-de-7-6-kg
501: "Candy Canes"
Interesting Things with JC #501: "Candy Canes" - The candy cane was created in the 17th century in Germany and popularized in the early 1900s with added red stripes.
441: "Old Plastic Halloween Masks"
Interesting Things with JC #441: "Old Plastic Halloween Masks"—Even if the outrageously gaudy Halloween costumes were uncomfortable, easy to tear, and didn't look like the characters they were supposed to be…it didn't matter.
387: "The Longest Field Goal"
Interesting Things with JC #387: "The Longest Field Goal" - In a 1976 matchup between Abilene Christian University and East Texas State University, which is now Texas A&M, Swedish college kicker Ove Johansson established the record for the longest field goal in football history at 69 yards.