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.
209 - Interesting Things: Daylight Savings & William Willet
Countries to the north and south of the tropics, see sunrise much earlier and sunsets much later in summer, than these regions do in winter. On most farms, this isn't a problem. People and animals just shift their habits as the hours of daylight shift. In most cities, the amount of energy used to make artificial light and heat becomes costly, if they don't shift their routines. This is where William Willett, the godfather of Daylight Savings comes in.
208 - Interesting Things: The Harp of Ireland
Ireland has a unique, and beautiful national symbol and it’s the harp. It is the only country in the world that uses a musical instrument as its symbol. The traditional instrument is featured on Irish coins, the Presidential Seal, the Irish passport and the Irish coat of arms. Scholars have found that the Irish harp’s popularity with the Irish people dates back to the 1500’s. Ireland’s national emblem is actually based on the Brian Boru Harp. Irish legend says Brian Boru played the harp the night before the Battle of Clontarf.
206: “Corn Starch”
Interesting Things with JC #206: "Corn Starch" - Dive into the story behind corn starch, a versatile product invented in 1840. From food to cosmetics, discover its many uses!
205 - Interesting Things: Hungry Tree of Dublin
The Hungry Tree is located on the grounds of the King's Inns in Dublin Ireland. Its believed to be between 80 and 100 years old. Its a London Plane tree that’s currently in the process of devouring a cast iron bench! It cannot be stopped, the Hungry Tree does what it wants.
204 - Interesting Things: Battle of Britain Bunker
The Battle of Britain Bunker Exhibition and Visitor Centre is a 2,000 square metre complex on two levels. Its an underground operations room at RAF Uxbridge, formerly used by No. 11 Group Fighter Command during the Second World War. Fighter aircraft operations were controlled from there throughout the War but most notably during the Battle of Britain and on D-Day. The exhibition provides insight into how the Bunker worked, inside and out.
203 - Interesting Things: Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is a tribute one of the greatest artists ever to have lived. The exhibition hall opened June 2, 1973. The historical backdrop of the Van Gogh Museum design is intriguing. The primary structure, planned by Gerrit Rietveld, opened in 1973. Engineer Kisho Kurokawas presentation wing was finished in 1999. It is the most visited Van Gogh museum worldwide.
202 - Interesting Things: George Nissen and The Trampoline
March 6, 1945, George Nissen of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received a patent for the first modern trampoline. He sold so many trampolines to the military, to help pilots experience weightlessness, that he had to postpone his enlistment in World War II to fulfill the orders. Interestingly, trampoline only became an Olympic sport during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
201 - Interesting Things: Lead Glass
Lead glass, commonly called crystal, is a variety of glass in which lead replaces the calcium content of a typical glass. In past decades, it was a popular material used to create decorative vases and bowls as well as crystal glasses and decanters. Lead glass is also known as X-ray glass or radiation shielding glass as one of its major applications is in the absorbance of high energy radiation while maintaining optical transparency. Also, lead glass has a lower thermal conductivity than lead-free glass. Interestingly, even though stained glass windows are a type of leaded glass, industry experts often use them separately to create distinction between the two.
199 - Interesting Things: USS Nautilus
On March 3rd 1980, the first nuclear submarine and the first vessel to go to the North Pole, the USS Nautilus was decommissioned. The Submarine was the sixth vessel of the US Navy to bear the name. The Nautilus was in active naval service from 1954 to 1980 and was the 571st submarine in the fleet.
198 - Interesting Things: Pancakes
The first official pancake recipe dates back to the sixteenth century. Pancakes were also associated with the Christian Lent. It was a way for people to use up their eggs, fats, and other ingredients not permitted during Lent. If you're ever in Severna Park Maryland, stop by the Breakfast Shop at 552 Richie Hwy for one of the best pancakes you'll find this side of sunrise!
197 - Interesting Things: Krewes
Each Mardi Gras Parade Krewe has a unique history and theme. Some have been around for decades, while others have been in existence for just a few years. The word Krewe is unique, it comes from French and means "tribe." What a Krewe does though is even more interesting!
196 - Interesting Things: Tom Thumb - Steam Power on the Railroad
On February 28th 1827 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad became the first steam-operated railway in the United States to be chartered as a common carrier of freight and passengers. All thanks to Peter Cooper as well as the B&O railroad.
195 - Interesting Things: Ketchup was a Medicine
Ketchup was sold in the 1830s as medicine, it was later commercialized as a condiment. Did you know ketchup also has alleged values beyond condiment status today?
194 - Interesting Things: Flight Attendants
Did you know, flight attendants are only paid their full hourly rate once the aircraft door closes, even though they work hard during boarding, which is the most stressful part of the flight! Let's take a look at the history of this profession in aviation.
193 - Interesting Things: Yukon Heritage Day
The Yukon is home to Canada’s westernmost point, which is on the border of Alaska. The day is designed to coincide with The Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous, a festival in Yukon’s capital, Whitehorse. The event specifically revolves around the Yukon Gold Rush period of the 1890’s. Yukoners take pride in the skills needed to perform such muscular tasks as chopping wood and wielding axes and chainsaws.
191 - Interesting Things: Neocortex - The Robot Brain of Strawberry Farming
It's a sophisticated platform "brain", providing robots with real-time, agile, reactive control. When combined with robotics, the system provides 3D plant recognition and grasping, enabling robots to properly pick and pack sorted strawberry plants.
189 - Interesting Things: Presidents of the United States
Presidents Day in the United States Commemorates and Honors the lives of all US Presidents. In this episode we reveal some interesting things about Presidents Adams, Grant, Harrison, Jefferson, Lincoln, Monroe, Regan, Roosevelt, and Truman.
188 - Interesting Things: DAYTONA Beach Racing
Daytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set. Daytona Beach's wide beach and smoothly packed sands at low tide were opened to drivers for many years.
187 - Interesting Things: B E I J I N G
As the Olympic games draw to a close, let's look at some of the more interesting things about the city of Beijing. It is China’s second-most populous city after Shanghai, estimated at 20.4 million people. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. The first city erected on the spot, Jicheng, was founded in 1045 BC and was the capital of the Ji Kingdom.
186 - Interesting Things: 133rd Seabees of WW2
The original Naval Construction Battalion 133 was commissioned at Camp Perry, Williamsburg, Virginia in 1943. They rebuilt the air station, docks and more in Hawaii and then they moved onto Iwo Jima landing with the first waves, suffering the largest casualties of any Seabee unit in history. The invasion of Iwo Jima began on February 19, 1945. Its important to remember, given time change and the international date line, the first waves started landing February 18th, 1945 around 7pm EST. They have yet to receive the Presidential Unit Citation for their bravery on Iwo Jima.