For educators
Real history, told through the animal who witnessed it. Every episode lists its sources and ends by saying plainly which parts are real and which are ours. History that sticks, with the sources to back it up. Free episode guides, built one episode at a time; printable versions are on the way.
What we offer
Real history, told through the animal who witnessed it, with a recurring cast of five real pets and a comedy that never comes at the truth's expense. Every episode is sourced and every source is listed. The delivery is warm and funny, which means it teaches real dates, real people, and real events in a form a child actually remembers. It is a natural fit for families on a car ride and for classrooms looking for history that sticks. It is a podcast from Talking With Pets.
Each episode gets a guide to print: discussion questions, a narration prompt that asks a student to retell the story in their own words, the full source list, and the actual standards codes the lesson targets. No vague “aligned to standards.” We cite the indicator so you can check it against your own framework. The episode guides are free and always will be.
Sourced, and honest about the difference
The dates, names, species, and events are checked before a script locks, and every episode page carries its sources in full. The pet's voice is invented, and each episode says so out loud in one plain line rather than leaving a child to guess. A student who hears that every week starts asking the same question of everything else they read.
That habit maps directly to the C3 Framework source-comparison and source-selection indicators (D2.His.10, D2.His.12, D1.5), which is why codes like these appear in the guides.
The first two guides
Two guides are written, and printable versions are on the way; until they are posted, write to us and we will send you either one. Each cites its specific C3 Framework and Common Core ELA codes at the anchor grade for its band. More are in production, one per episode.
Darwin and Polly
Charles Darwin figured out how all of life works, then spent his later years finding out whether earthworms could hear, by having his son play the bassoon at them. His fox terrier Polly saw it all. The guide turns the episode into a lesson on patience, evidence, and sorting documented fact from grounded inference.
C3 Framework
D1.5.3-5D2.His.10.3-5D2.His.16.3-5D3.1.3-5
Common Core ELA
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.8CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.3
Togo and the serum run
Everyone knows Balto, who ran the last 55 miles into Nome. Togo ran 264, across the breaking sea ice nobody else would risk. The guide uses the 1925 serum run to teach heroism, fairness, and how to compare what different sources say about the same event.
C3 Framework
D2.His.3.3-5D2.His.10.3-5D2.His.12.3-5D4.6.3-5
Common Core ELA
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.8CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.2
Codes are from the C3 Framework (NCSS) and the Common Core State Standards for ELA-Literacy. Many states adopt C3 and CCSS directly or with light relabeling.
Printable PDFs are coming
Downloadable, ready-to-print PDF versions of every guide are in production. We are not posting file links until the printable versions are final and proofed.
Write to us
Email [email protected] and tell us which episode guide you want and which grade you teach. We are a small family business, so a reply may take a few days, but it will come from a person. The episode guides are free and always will be.
Questions teachers ask
Are the Our Next Collar educator guides standards-aligned?
Yes. Each guide cites specific C3 Framework social-studies inquiry indicators and Common Core ELA codes at the anchor grade for its band, rather than claiming a vague alignment. The Darwin and Polly guide (grades 4 to 6) cites C3 indicators D1.5.3-5, D2.His.10.3-5, D2.His.16.3-5, and D3.1.3-5, plus CCSS RI.5.1, RI.5.8, SL.5.1, and SL.5.3. The Togo and the serum run guide (grades 3 to 5) cites C3 indicators D2.His.3.3-5, D2.His.10.3-5, D2.His.12.3-5, and D4.6.3-5, plus CCSS RI.4.3, RI.4.8, SL.4.1, and SL.4.2.
How does the show handle what is true and what is invented?
Every episode lists its sources in full and ends by saying plainly which parts are real and which are ours. The dates, names, species, and events are checked before a script locks. The pet's voice is invented, and the show says so out loud rather than leaving a child to guess. That gives a class a natural conversation about sources without needing a separate lesson bolted on.
Which guides are written so far?
Two guides are written. The Darwin and Polly guide is built for grades 4 to 6 and pairs with the episode about Charles Darwin and his fox terrier Polly. The Togo and the serum run guide is built for grades 3 to 5 and pairs with the episode about Togo and the 1925 Nome serum run. More guides are in production, one per episode.
Can I get printable PDF versions of the guides?
Downloadable, ready-to-print PDF versions are coming. Until they are posted, write to [email protected], say which episode guide you want, and ask for it.
Is Our Next Collar a good fit for homeschool and classroom use?
Yes. The history is rigorously sourced, the delivery is warm and funny so a child remembers it, and each episode page shows its sources in full. It works for family co-listening on a car ride and for a classroom or homeschool looking for history that sticks. It is a podcast from Talking With Pets.
Standards-aligned history that sticks, one episode at a time
Explore the episodes your students will remember.
Browse all episodes