PODCAST · kids
Unschooling with Kai
by Kai and Dan
After many car rides filled with episodes of the Stuff You Should Know podcast with the famous Chuck and Josh, Kai said, "Hey, we should make our own podcast!" Being fresh unschoolers ourselves, we decided to dive right in and start exploring topics of Kai's interest. Each episode is a different interest of Kai's. We figure out what we already know, research and answer our questions using the library, YouTube, museums, and the internet. Then we organize our findings and present them to you! Feel free to contact us at [email protected] with any feedback or episode suggestions.
Episodes
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Radiation - Part I - The Dangerous, Ionizing Kind
In this first episode of the Radiation series, we talk about all of the cool stuff we've recently learned about radiation. And honestly, there's so much more. What questions do you have?
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Dust - Part IV - The Dust Bowl and Dust Mites
This is our final episode in the Dust Series! We get down and dusty talking about the facts of the Dust Bowl and dust mites. Also, we've got a whole slew up updates, and a whole slew of questions that will one day become updates!
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Dust - Part III - Space Dust and Dust Baths
It's been a minute, but let us regale you in stories and facts about space dust and animals' use or dust baths. Also, we have a few updates to previous episodes. Be on the look out for the next episode soon! YAY!
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Dust - Part II - House Dust, PM 2.5, and the Aeolian Process
We get down to the actual why behind house dust and answer the question "What is the purpose of vacuuming if you're just kicking up dust anyway?" Of course, we get into the physics of dust movement which brings up so many more questions and tangents. Enjoy!
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Dust - Part I - What We Already Know
Here is our exploration episode trying to nail down what we already know about DUST--one of our current mutual interests. What's cool is we walk away from this conversation with some great questions to lead us into the next episode! Feel free to respond with any comments, questions, or answers!!...
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Crows - Part IV - Mating, Juveniles, Group Cohesion, Mobbing, etc.
We round out our Crows series with this final episode getting into mating and nesting, fledglings and juveniles, group cohesion, migration, mobbing, and our lingering questions. Enjoy!
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Crows - Part III - Diet, Sounds, Intelligence, and Experiments
This is our third edition in the Crows series and we get into conversation about crows' diet, sounds they make, their intelligence, experiments with them and finally, some cool stats.
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Crows - Part II - Scientific Background and Comparison to Ravens
This is our second episode in the Crow series and we're reporting back what we've researched and learned about their scientific background, a little of their history, some parallels to humans, and a comparison to ravens. Enjoy!
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Crows - Part I - Everything We Know
It’s been a while but we’re back in action with an in-depth look at crows. We talk about our experiences seeing and feeding crows, Science Comics, and what we’ve learned so far about these smart corvids. Is there anything else you can add to our knowledge base or any question you want to find the...
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Why is the back of the bus bumpier?
Listen in about some of the physics behind what makes the back of the bus bumpier. We talk about the wheelbase, the bounce amplification, and the suspension. Enjoy!
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Do tire valve caps keep air in?
What’s the deal with those little black plastic tire valve caps? Do they actually hold air in the tires? Do you even need them? Find out in this episode of Unschooling With Kai!
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What is a light year and how far is it?
After just having witnessed the recent solar eclipse, we started talking about speed and distance and this question popped up. Join us as we jump into some updates from previous episodes and then break down the distances of a light second, light hour, light day, and light year.
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What are the different uses of brushes vs. combs?
When should you use a brush versus a comb? Does it depend on your hair type? Listen in while we try to get this tangle of an episode all straightened out. 🤭
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What is the red stuff they used to seal envelopes with?
We talk about wax sealing and get a little into the history, the significance of certain wax colors, and the possibility of counterfeiting wax seals. Enjoy!
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Do preying mantises live through winter?
The short answer? No. And Yes. Tricky, huh? Guess you’ll have to listen to the episode to learn more about the ootheca, the mantid life cycle, and some unrelated updates on pathogens, antigens, and black holes!
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Why do we get achy when sick?
We dive into an interesting discussion about the immune system’s role in collateral damage (AKA pain) to our body. We highly recommend you check out Philip Dettmer’s book called Immune or the Kurzgesagt channel to dig deeper into our body’s immune system.
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Why can’t mules reproduce?
We talk about horse and donkey offspring and what genetically stops them from reproducing!
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Why does the bed of some empty flatbed trucks curve upwards in the middle?
How about that question? Is it a mouthful? Well the science behind it is not as complicated! Join us on another episode of Unschooling with Kai!
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Why do knees hurt after sitting too long?
Are you an older person without knee pain? Or a young person with knee pain without a history of injury or other explanation? Let us know at [email protected] !!
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What does “Bah Humbug!” mean?
Today we talk about Ebenezer Scrooge’s exclamation in Charles Dicken’s 1843 book A Christmas Carol. Enjoy!
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What video game has the largest file size? The smallest?
We talk all things video game size from some of the largest Steam games to some of the smallest Nintendo games. We also explain kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes. Enjoy!
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Do you get an RBI for a solo home run in baseball?
Welcome to Season Five of Unschooling with Kai! This is our first question we’re answering in this new format. Let us know what you think! Also, feel free to share any questions you want answered at [email protected]. Enjoy!
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Military Working Dogs - Part II
We talk about MWDs and the Gear they use, their History, Rehabilitation after service, and some Dog Tales. Also, we have a big announcement at the end!!
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Military Working Dogs (MWDs) - Part I
This episode we dive into the Military Working Dogs and figure out what they can do, what kind of dogs they are, which forces uses them, and what their specific training is. Stay tuned for part two!
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Amtrak Part II - Equipment, Rider Experience, and the Future
In the this second Amtrak episode, we talk about: what it’s like to ride on an Amtrak train, specific train equipment, the future of Amtrak, and our own personal experience. Enjoy!
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Amtrak - Part I - Routes and History
It’s been awhile but we’re back with a short but sweet episode on Amtrak. We talk about what it is, what routes they have, and some of the difficult history. Enjoy!
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Sonic Booms - Part II - The Science and the First Supersonic Plane and Car
The end of this series includes some discussion on the science of the sonic boom. We also get into the secret Bell X-1 flight in 1947 and the Thrust SSC ride 50 years later. Enjoy!
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Sonic Booms - Part I - What Are They and Some Examples
We’ve arrived at season 4 of Unschooling with Kai and decided to kick it off with Sonic Booms! Here we explain what they are, how they happen, and give some everyday and some not-so-everyday examples. Enjoy!
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Bees - Part IV - Queens, Communication, and Colony Collapse Disorder
This is our last episode in the bee series and possibly the last in this season. We talk about queens and their brood, bee communication, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), and bee swarms. Enjoy! … Cover photo provided by: Melanie Mason. Melanie is an unschooling mom of two living in West Chester...
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Bees - Part III - Domestication and What Bees Make
In this third installment, we talk about that various things that bees produce. Then we discuss the various facets of domestication and human intervention including migratory beekeeping and (gasp) killer bees! …Cover photo provided by: Melanie Mason. Melanie is an unschooling mom of two living in...
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Bees - Part II - Foraging
In this episode we discuss the various jobs a bee cycles through in their lifetime and then get deep into foraging and pollination! Video of vibrating bumblebee: https://youtu.be/SZrTndD1H10 **** The cover art (for this episode and the rest in the bee series) was provided by Melanie Mason.…
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Bees - Part I - History and Wintering
Wow it’s been a while since our last episode, but we’re back with Bees! We discuss some bee basics, and then talk about some of their history, and cover “wintering.” This is definitely just the first in a longer bee series. Videos: mesopredators - https://youtu.be/G4K2oBhewFA … drone eviction -...
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MINICAST - The Immune System - Part II
In this second part of the immune system, we cover Murder University (the thymus), Gut Microbiome, Coronavirus and Vaccines, and finally Bacteriophages. Enjoy! Also, check out the Kurzgesagt videos we reference throughout The Immune System Minicasts:...
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MINICAST - The Immune System - Part I
In this episode, we tackle our love for Kurzgesagt and their accessible explanations of the complicated immune system. We cover the innate and adaptive systems and what all of their cells and proteins do to protect our bodies! Check out the Kurzgesagt videos on the immune system in their Medicine…
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Ants - Part V - Weaver Ants
We talk about Kai’s favorite ants: the Weaver Ants and get into some specifics of Nests and Queens, Battle and Defenses, and Food and Drink. Enjoy! Also, here is the must-see video on how ants stick to surfaces: https://youtu.be/hd5upt3IrWM
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Ants - Part IV - Marauder Ants
We talk about Kai’s second favorite (and currently Dan’s favorite) type of ants: the Marauder Ants. We discuss their species as well as their extreme Polymorphism, Trails & Food, and Raids & Fighting. Enjoy!
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Ants - Part III - Army Ants
We talk about Kai’s 3rd favorite kind of ant—the Army Ant! We specifically describe their bivouacs, raids, and their queens/reproduction. Enjoy!!
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Ants - Part II
We talk about how ants communicate, about queens and reproduction, and about polymorphism (Kai’s favorite!). Hope you enjoy this episode!
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Ants - Part I
For this episode and next well cover some general (yet still quite interesting) facts that pertain to the majority of ant species. In this episode we cover What Are Ants, Body Parts, and some Special Ants and their interesting abilities/sizes.
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Black Holes - Part III
Wow, dive even deeper into black holes and talk about gravity, spacetime, and then Hawking Radiation and other quantum weirdness. Phew! Check out the following videos as recommended in this episode: Kurzgesagt Dinosaurs https://youtu.be/xaQJbozY_Is … VSauce Brachistochrome...
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Black Holes - Part II
We dive deeper into black holes and discuss Andromeda’s central black hole, how light works, the picture of M87’s central black hole, as well as the biggest and smallest black holes. Stay tuned for the the third and final episode in this series!
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Black Holes - Part I
We get our feet wet in this first installment of Black Holes discussing the first observed black hole, the formation of black holes, and the black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Check out our inspiration here: https://youtu.be/0FH9cgRhQ-k
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Sauropods - Part II
We continue to discuss sauropods and in this episode we hit on their diet, why they got so big, their reproduction and young, as well as detailing a handful of the record-holders. See these Kurzgesagt videos for help understanding the size of life: https://youtu.be/f7KSfjv4Oq0 and...
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Sauropods - Part I
We intro sauropods—the biggest land animals to have ever lived. We talk about their classification, their general physical characteristics, and then place them in the larger picture of the Mesozoic era. For clarity, we recommend you look up the “archosaur clade” in an online image search!
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Ninja - Unconventional Warfare
We kick off Season 3 with ninja! What are they and what do they do? Are they still around? How were they trained? What weapons did they use? And were did they come from? We answer all of these questions and also give a quick summary of unschooling as well as our process for learning about each...
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Top 3 Largest US Military Cargo Airplanes (C-5, C-17, and C-130)
We compare and contrast the three largest US military cargo airplanes including the C-5 Galaxy, the C-17 Globemaster III, and the C-130 Hercules. Then we geek-out over the C-5, it’s sheer size, and all of the interesting facts we know about it. Check out our recommended videos on aerial refueling...
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Wild Dogs - Part VI - Dholes, Jackals, Dingoes, and African Wild Dogs
We briefly jump between dholes, jackals, dingoes, and African wild dogs giving fun facts on each one. One of these dogs even pees upside down! Here’s the video we mention of jackals masking their own scent: https://youtu.be/AhEdKY4ujjg
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Wild Dogs - Part V - Coyotes
Coyotes: not quite the hopeless cartoon character nor the disease-ridden dog we’ve imagined. In fact, they’re rather well-adapted to the ever-changing environment.
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Wild Dogs - Part IV - Foxes Continued
We cover some of the cool facts and trivia concerning Grey Foxes, Arctic Foxes, Fennec Foxes, and Bat-eared Foxes. The “Kurzgesagt” video Kai mentioned is here: https://youtu.be/MUWUHf-rzks
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Wild Dogs - Part III - Foxes
We give a general discussion of foxes and their behavior and then specifically dive into Red Foxes. We’ll continue with other fox species next episode. Also, check out two videos we recommend from Save A Fox to see some “gekkering.” - (on Facebook)...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
After many car rides filled with episodes of the Stuff You Should Know podcast with the famous Chuck and Josh, Kai said, "Hey, we should make our own podcast!" Being fresh unschoolers ourselves, we decided to dive right in and start exploring topics of Kai's interest. Each episode is a different interest of Kai's. We figure out what we already know, research and answer our questions using the library, YouTube, museums, and the internet. Then we organize our findings and present them to you! Feel free to contact us at [email protected] with any feedback or episode suggestions.
HOSTED BY
Kai and Dan
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Unschooling with Kai have?
Unschooling with Kai currently has 65 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Unschooling with Kai about?
After many car rides filled with episodes of the Stuff You Should Know podcast with the famous Chuck and Josh, Kai said, "Hey, we should make our own podcast!" Being fresh unschoolers ourselves, we decided to dive right in and start exploring topics of Kai's interest. Each episode is a different...
How often does Unschooling with Kai release new episodes?
Unschooling with Kai has 65 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Unschooling with Kai?
You can listen to Unschooling with Kai on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Unschooling with Kai?
Unschooling with Kai is created and hosted by Kai and Dan.
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