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.
1390: "Dr. Joseph Murphy"
Interesting Things with JC #1390: "Joseph Murphy" – From a small Irish village to a global bestseller. In 1963, as the world feared missiles and mourned Kennedy, Murphy showed the greatest power was in the mind.
1308: "Hyperion"
Interesting Things with JC #1308: "Hyperion" – Deep in a fog-drenched forest, a 379-foot redwood reaches the edge of biology’s limits. But getting close could destroy it forever.
1023: "Dashe Cellars"
Interesting Things with JC #1023: "Dashe Cellars" - Explore how Michael and Anne Dashe’s passion for winemaking led to the creation of Dashe Cellars, a pioneering urban winery in Alameda, CA, known for its exceptional, sustainable wines.
1022: "Eastside Sports, Bishop California"
Interesting Things with JC #1022: "Eastside Sports, Bishop California" - Explore the legacy of Wilson’s Eastside Sports, a family-owned mountain sports store in Bishop, CA, providing gear and local expertise since 1977.
992: "The Myth of Code 420"
Interesting Things with JC #992: "The Myth of Code 420" - This episode delves into the actual origins of "420", a term mistakenly believed to be a police code for marijuana but actually coined by a group of high school friends in California during the 1970s. Discover how their inside joke spread through the Grateful Dead's community, becoming a global symbol of cannabis culture.
806: "Monster Pumpkin"
Interesting Things with JC #806: "Monster Pumpkin" - Minnesota's horticulture teacher smashes the world record with a colossal 2,749-pound jack-o'-lantern in California. Embrace the journey from a vibrant pumpkin garden to this horticultural marvel, and discover the passion that fueled this remarkable feat.
676: "The Winchester Mystery House - An Architectural Enigma"
Interesting Things with JC #676: "The Winchester Mystery House - An Architectural Enigma" - Step into the world of the iconic Winchester Mystery House, an architectural marvel nestled in San Jose. Explore its labyrinthine corridors, peculiar staircases, and rooms that defy logic, while delving into the supernatural tales that surround it. Brace yourself for a captivating journey through an enigmatic mansion that will leave you spellbound!
563: "Battle for Los Angeles - 1942"
Interesting Things with JC #563: "Battle for Los Angeles - 1942" - Discover the untold story of the Battle of Los Angeles during World War II, where a weather balloon triggered a city-wide blackout and anti-aircraft fire, leading to confusion and chaos. To this day some people believe aliens were involved, while others blame meteorologists.
521: "Folsom Prison Blues"
Interesting Things with JC #521: "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash records a live album inside Folsom State Prison in 1968, becomes a country music legend, and sheds light on prison realities.
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.
430: "Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio"
Interesting Things with JC #430: "Disney Brothers Studio" - On October 16, 1923, Walt and his brother Roy opened a cartoon studio in Hollywood, California, called the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio.
364: “The Burbank Aviation Museum”
Interesting Things with JC #364: “The Burbank Aviation Museum” is located in the Portal of the Folded Wings, in Valhalla Cemetery. It's open the first Sunday of each month unless it's a holiday or a rainy day. Free admission 1-3 PM. The Portal of Folded Wings, is a 75-foot-tall "Shrine to Aviation" and is the final resting place of fifteen aviation pioneers.
335: "Point Bonita Lighthouse"
Interesting Things with JC #335: "Point Bonita Lighthouse" sits near the end of Bonita Cove in the Marin Headlands, just 20 minutes from the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge. It's a historic location and the only lighthouse in the United States that is reached by a suspension bridge!
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.
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.
331: "California Wine"
Interesting Things with JC #331: "California Wine" - Join me as I take you on a journey through the history of this legendary region, beginning in 1769 and continuing to the present day.
328: "The Great Valley Museum"
Interesting Things with JC #328: "The Great Valley Museum" encourages action toward learning about, enjoying, and maintaining our natural history and environment. It also opens minds and touches hearts. Located on Blue Gum Ave, in Modesto California inside the Modesto Junior College…and their planetarium is amazing!
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!