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.
356: "International Beer Day"
Interesting Things with JC #356: "International Beer Day" - The first Friday of every August is designated as International Beer Day. This day was selected because of the pleasant summer weather and its isolation from other beer festivities. Currently, over 200 towns throughout the world participate in the celebration.
354: "Yucatan Peninsula Churches Made from Mayan Ruins"
Interesting Things with JC #354: "Yucatan Peninsula Churches Made from Mayan Ruins" - Construction of churches began shortly after the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the early 1500s. In many cases, they were made by dismantling Mayan temples and reusing the stones.
353: "Undersea Cables"
Interesting Things with JC #353: "Undersea Cables" - Who put them there? What do they do? Let’s take a deep dive into the history of undersea cables!
348: "Felix Nadar and the First Aerial Photograph"
Interesting Things with JC #348: "Felix Nadar and the First Aerial Photograph" - In 1858, Felix Nadar, a French balloonist and photographer, took the first known photograph from the sky!
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.
341: "Blueberries"
Interesting Things with JC #341: "Blueberries" - Native Americans in North America gave blueberries the name "star fruits" due to the star shape formed by the blossom end of the berry. In a given year, a single blueberry bush can yield up to six thousand berries. The highbush blueberry crop in British Columbia is the world's largest.
338: "More Dangerous than Shark Attacks"
Interesting Things with JC #338: "More Dangerous than Shark Attacks" - An inquisitive short story podcast topic that was submitted by one of our loyal but yet anonymous listeners! (5min podcast)
333: "Garden Joy"
Interesting Things with JC #333: "Garden Joy" - Born from a one-acre plot on Main Street in Ripon, California, this volunteer organization provides thousands of pounds of organic vegetables for the community as well as offers classes, tours, and facilitates field trips for hundreds of local youth.
By encouraging home gardening and providing educational programs to promote positive social contact and recreation, they are making a long-lasting impact on the community's nutritional knowledge and the people's eating habits.
Please visit gardenjoyca.com for more information.
327: "The Sites Reservoir"
Interesting Things with JC #327: "The Sites Reservoir" The California Department of Water Resources intends to construct the $5.2-billion off-stream Sites Reservoir west of Colusa in the Sacramento Valley of northern California, presenting an untapped opportunity to store significant amounts of water generated by stormwater and flood flows. Further strengthening the backbone of this world renown agricultural region.
326: "Great Valley Farming & Drought"
Interesting Things with JC #326: "Great Valley Farming & Drought" Almond growers are worried about how this may impact the quality of their product over the coming years because the Sacramento Valley has also been affected hard. The Valley is laid out such that water may move from one area to the next, like a series of stairs. As a result, water is utilized very effectively, with almost all of it going toward sustaining life, whether it be plant or animal production. Retaining water during rainy years to help during drought, creating more water storage, such as the proposed Sites Reservoir, could be critically helpful.
325: "The Great Valley of California"
Interesting Things with JC #325: "The Great Valley of California" is a 20,000-square-mile structural depression that is one of the world's most notable. The Valley is approximately 50 miles wide and 400 miles long, stretching northwest from the Tehachapi Mountains to Redding. More than 250 different crops, worth an estimated $17 billion, are grown here annually.
324: "Catching Grapes"
Interesting Things with JC #324: "Catching Grapes" - It's not easy to catch grapes in your mouth, but today we look at the world record holder who caught a grape over a distance of 108 meters, as well as holders of other impressive grape catching world records!
314: "USS Pueblo"
Interesting Things with JC #314: "USS Pueblo" - North Korea captured the USS Pueblo, an unarmed US Navy intelligence vessel, in international waters on January 23, 1968 and held the 83-person crew hostage for 11 months. Thank you to Ricky Baez for today’s episode.
312: "General Charles G. Boyd"
Interesting Things with JC #312: "General Charles G. Boyd" was a highly decorated combat pilot and United States Air Force Four-Star General. He is the only Vietnam Era prisoner of war to achieve the four-star rank.
311: "Self Closing Drawer Slides"
Interesting Things with JC #311: "Self Closing Drawer Slides" include a stationary housing, a slider, and a latch. While the housing is coupled to a cabinet or drawer, dampers are used to slow the movement of the drawer, while engaging a latch towards closure.
300: "Lobsterman Swallowed by Hump Back Whale and Lived"
Interesting Things with JC #300: On Friday June 11th, 2021, a commercial Lobster Diver was swallowed by a humpback whale off the coast of Massachusetts, and lived to tell the story!
298: "Ceiling Fan Direction"
Interesting Things with JC #298 "Ceiling Fan Direction" should be changed in the summer and winter to give you more comfort and spend less on your heating and cooling needs!
289: "JP-8 Jet Fuel"
Interesting Things with JC #289 "JP-8" is a kerosene based jet fuel that contains additives to improve its properties for military use, with the exception of aircraft on naval carriers where JP-5 is required.
281: "Sympathetic Resonant Frequencies"
Interesting Things with JC #281: "Sympathetic Resonant Frequencies" - Sympathetic resonance or sympathetic vibration is a harmonic phenomenon where a passive string or vibratory body responds to external vibrations to which it has a harmonic likeness, to include shattering living microorganisms at the right frequency.
270: "Caves of Monte Castillo"
Interesting Things with JC #270: "Caves of Monte Castillo" hold one of the most impressive archeological findings related to our human history. The El Castillo cave is home to Paleolithic paintings on the walls that are at least 40,800 years old. This discovery of the oldest dated cave painting is approximately 4000 years older than the paintings discovered in the Chauvet Cave in France, which were previously believed to be the oldest cave paintings.