A Short Story Podcast Series
Podcast Radio - Podverse - Headliner - Amazon - Apple - Audacy - Audible - Castbox - Deezer - fyyd - GoodPods - iHeartRadio - Instagram - JioSaavn - Listen Notes - Pandora - PlayerFM - PocketCasts - Podcast Republic - Podchaser - Spotify - Stitcher - Youtube
Link to Podcast Library or Scroll for Daily Feed
-
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.
-
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.
1410: "White Corn vs. Yellow Corn Chips"
Interesting Things with JC #1410: "White Corn vs. Yellow Corn Chips" – They look the same in the bowl. But one was built to blend in, the other to stand tall. Behind every tortilla chip is a story about land, taste, and time.
1407: "What is a Reddit Kid?"
Interesting Things with JC #1407: "What is a Reddit Kid?" – You’ve probably heard the name. Maybe even used it. But where did it come from, and what does it really say about how we talk now?
1406: "The British Lion"
Interesting Things with JC #1406: "The British Lion" – For nine centuries the lion has guarded Britain’s throne, its battlefields, and its imagination. From Richard the Lionheart to Trafalgar Square, this golden beast still roars as the nation’s symbol.
1405: "Tropical Waves"
Interesting Things with JC #1405: "Tropical Waves" – Before a hurricane has a name, it’s just a wrinkle in the wind. Some vanish. Some become history. It all starts with a wave.
1404: "The Amateur Radio Operators of 9/11"
Interesting Things with JC #1404: "The Amateur Radio Operators of 9/11" – When modern tech failed, the old-school gear stepped in. In the smoke and silence of 9/11, amateur radio operators kept the city connected, and saved lives.
1403: "September 10th, 2001"
Interesting Things with JC #1403: "September 10th, 2001" – It was just another Monday. Political scandal, lost trillions, an assassination, and a quiet war abroad, all vanished the next morning. The last ordinary day.
1402: "Keithroy Maynard"
Interesting Things with JC #1402: "Keithroy Maynard" – A firefighter. A father. A man who ran toward the danger when he didn’t have to. His life wasn’t only lost on 9/11, it was defined by the choices he made before it.
1400: "The Blood Moon"
Interesting Things with JC #1400: "The Blood Moon" – One night it’s just the Moon, next thing you know, it’s red as fire. Folks used to say it meant danger, even the end of days. Truth is, it still gives you chills.
1399: "Giorgio Armani"
Interesting Things with JC #1399: "Giorgio Armani" – From wartime hardship to timeless elegance, He built an empire with restraint, grace, and conviction. His vision never wavered.
1397: "What is a Florida Ounce?"
Interesting Things with JC #1397: "What is a Florida Ounce?" – “Fl oz” doesn’t stand for Florida. Once everyday knowledge, now a mystery hiding on labels and measuring cups...
1396: "An Animal Lying on the Side of the Road Probably Isn’t Sick or Napping"
Interesting Things with JC #1396: "An Animal Lying on the Side of the Road Probably Isn’t Sick or Napping" – A deer in the ditch with stiff legs isn’t snoozing. Roadside naps aren’t real.
1395: "September 2nd - The Beginning and the End"
Interesting Things with JC #1395: "September 2nd - The Beginning and the End" – From the invasion of Poland to the peace aboard the USS Missouri, this episode traces the terrifying symmetry of a world at war, and what it left behind.
1394: "The Great Barrington UFO Encounter of 1969"
Interesting Things with JC #1394: "The Great Barrington UFO Encounter of 1969" – One peaceful night in 1969, the skies over western Massachusetts lit up, and so did the phone lines. What followed became one of America’s most credible UFO cases.
1385: "Judge Frank Caprio"
Interesting Things with JC #1385: "Judge Frank Caprio" – From the son of an immigrant fruit seller to America’s “nicest judge,” Frank Caprio carried justice with compassion. His legacy lives not in verdicts, but in the lives he touched.
1384: "Does Black Paint Make Metal Hotter"
Interesting Things with JC #1384: "Does Black Paint Make Metal Hotter" – A black bumper scorches, a white one simmers. Behind that burn lies the physics of light, heat, and a 160-year-old discovery that still shapes everything from cars to spacecraft.
1381: "Terence Stamp"
Interesting Things with JC #1381: "Terence Stamp" – From the shadow of the Blitz to the heights of cinema, he carried presence like a weapon. Few actors could command silence, power, and myth across six decades. This is the story of a gaze that never let go.
1372: "James Lovell - Commander of Apollo 13"
Interesting Things with JC #1372: "James Lovell – Commander of Apollo 13" – From launching homemade rockets in Milwaukee fields to leading a crippled spacecraft safely home, James Lovell’s life was a flight plan written in courage. His steady hand turned near-certain disaster into one of history’s greatest rescues.
1367: "Loni Anderson"
Interesting Things with JC #1367: "Loni Anderson" – She wasn’t supposed to be famous. She was supposed to be Leilani. But from St. Paul to syndication royalty, Loni Anderson rewrote the script...and the stereotype.
1364: "What is the Cryospheric Process?"
Interesting Things with JC #1364: "What is the Cryospheric Process?" – Frozen water isn’t just waiting...it’s working. From cracking glaciers to thawing ground, the cryosphere is Earth’s quiet engine of motion. What happens when it shifts?
1361: "The Metric Crescent Wrench"
Interesting Things with JC #1361: "The Metric Crescent Wrench" – Long before torque specs, there was legend. A vanished tool from 1743. The truth slips… one adjustment at a time.