Subscriptions


Information about Subscriptions available to Enrolled, Flex, and Registered students through the Learning Commons. Questions can be sent to our Subscriptions Facilitator, Margaret Basaraba, through Live Chat on regular school days from 9 am. to 3 pm. Live Chat is located in the bottom right-hand corner of our website.

Getting Started

Subscriptions cover a wide range of valuable content in various subject areas and grade levels. All subscriptions are available for Enrolled and Flex families. If you are a Registered family, please select the bar below the video to discover which subscriptions are available to you.

This short video will help you get started with Subscriptions on the Learning Commons website.

What is Available to Me?

 Enrolled and Flex Registered
4Canoes ✅ ✅
Axis ✅ ✅
BC ExamBank ✅ ✅
BrainPOP, BrainPOP Jr.  ✅ ❌
BrainPOP Français, BrainPOP Español ✅ ❌
BrainPOP Science ✅ ❌
Canadian Reader ✅ ❌
Currents4Kids, News4Youth ✅ ❌
Discovery Education ✅ ❌
Enchanted Learning ✅ ✅
EVERFI ✅ ✅
Explora Canada (Canadian Reference Centre) ✅ ❌
Flipster Magazines ✅ ✅
Focused Education (BC Digital Classroom) ✅ ✅
Gale Cengage Learning ✅ ✅
Gizmos ✅ ❌
HearBuilder ✅ ❌
KnowBC ✅ ✅
Learn360 ✅ ❌
Live It Earth ✅ ❌
Matific ✅ ❌
myBlueprint ✅ ❌
Mystery Science ✅ ❌
National Film Board ✅ ✅
National Geographic Kids ✅ ✅
PebbleGo & PebbleGo Next ✅ ❌
ProQuest (Historical BC Newspapers) ✅ ✅
Read&Write ✅ ✅
Reading Eggs, Eggspress & Fast Phonics ✅ ❌
RightNow Media ✅ ❌
Teaching Books ✅ ✅
Touch-Type Read and Spell ✅ ❌
Twig Science ✅ ✅
Twig Science Reporter ✅ ✅
Tynker ✅ ❌
What in the World? Level 1 & 2 ✅ ❌
World Book Online ✅ ✅
World Watch News ✅ ❌

Finding Links, Usernames, & Passwords

On the Website

Navigate to the Learning Commons Website Subscriptions page.

Log in with your Encom credentials at the top of the next page.

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Select the "Info" button on any Subscription tile.

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Read the information and select the "Log in" button to log in.

On the Search Portal

Navigate to the Search Portal and select the Subs/Password tab. Log in with your Encom username and password. You will see a list of subscriptions and find links, usernames and passwords.

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The list is organized alphabetically from A-Z. You can toggle to Z-A by selecting "Name."

Subscription Passwords are updated annually in July, with some being updated throughout the year. If your password stops working, please check back on the Learning Commons website for up-to-date passwords.

Using Subscriptions

Indigenous Peoples' Resources
4Canoes

These digital magazines offer a series of authentic information vetted by the indigenous communities about which they were written.

Content in Each Issue

Each edition follows a common theme and features:

  • The history of the culture, pre- and post-contact
  • Compelling and beautiful pictorials that draw students into the stories and place of the featured community
  • The story of the vessel and/or other modes of transportation used by the featured Peoples
  • Art and Food
  • Kids’ Zone
  • Resources for everyone, including kids, parents and educators  (Gr. K-12, the reading level would be a middle school)
  • Stories by and of the featured People in each edition
  • Extraordinary pictures of the lives, land and waters of the featured Peoples
Discovery Education

Indigenous Peoples of Canada 

Choose the grade on the screen, showing under the text above, K-5, 6-8 or 9-12.

GALE CENGAGE Learning

Choose “Canada in Context,” “and then search “First People,” “First Nations,” or “Aboriginal.”

KNOWBC.com

Log in at KNOW BC and choose a book or encyclopedia from the menus on the site to search for First Nations content.

The KNOWBC site has newly revised curriculum correlations, with links to content:

Learn360

Log in to Learn360 and search for First Peoples or First Nations topics.  A new site available in Learn360 is the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada site.  Under advanced search (to the right of the main search bar), when you have chosen "video," you can filter.

Live It Earth

Navigate to the slideshow for an Indigenous perspective on any given topic.

Teaching Books

Search the word "Indigenous" to find many books and resources available on this site.

French Resources
Spanish Resources
Typing Resources
Touch-Type Read and Spell

A former teacher, Anne-Marie Semke, commented that her student with dyslexia did not progress while using All the Right Type (ATRT).  She purchased a subscription for TTRS and said, “It has been an excellent help with his dyslexia. I highly recommend it for students with special needs, as it is meaningfully and usefully different from a traditional learn-to-type program.”

For more information on TTRS, please refer to SOPHIE page Touch-Type Read and Spell. TTRS is a universal support and is available to all enrolled HCOS and Flex students, free of charge. Fill in the registration form. Margaret Basaraba will contact you when she receives the form.

EdClub

Free online TypingClub. Scroll down to find the "Learn More" button.

Type Racer

Type Racer allows students to type in competition with other students, all around the world.  

All the Right Type 4 Online

ATRT costs USD 40.00 for a year subscription with four users and a parent. Here is the link to the online version for home:  ATRT Online Home Version.  All the Right Type described.

TypeLit

TypeLit.io (free) allows you to type classic literature while you are reading it. TypeLit provides you with feedback about the accuracy and speed of your typing. Cost: USD 60.00/year. (Gr. 7-12)

Other Typing Programs
  1. TypingClub, (free) upgrade to Premium and view the site ad-free.
  2. Dance Mat Typing (free) from BBC, offers Levels 1 to 4. One parent said this is the most engaging one she has come across.  If you enjoy rock ‘n roll, you will enjoy the music in this site.  Explanatory guides for Dance Mat Typing.
  3. Teaching.com, which is free and is a gamified learning of typing. Typing.com blog.   
  4. 10 typing tools for students, both free and paid:  Typesy (their choice of the best), Typing.com (their choice for best budget), UltraKey 6 (best for beginners),  Typing Instructor Platinum (most entertaining), KayBlaze (best for professionals),  
Bible Memory Kids

BibleMemory.com has a complete Bible memory system that makes it easy for you to MEMORIZE, ORGANIZE, and REVIEW verses while typing.  You can even memorize and review verses while reading and studying your Bible, all in one app!  FREE

Using Subscriptions in the Summer

Enrolled, Flex, and Registered students who are re-enrolled for the next school year are welcome to continue using subscriptions through the summer, with the exception of Tynker(closed in July), News4Youth and Currents4Kids(closed in July and August), and EVERFI, which resets all the classrooms in June.

Troubleshooting

4Canoes

4Canoes magazine (K-Grade 12) has articles vetted by the Indigenous communities about which they were written. The 4Canoes website is accessed through Focused Education Resources and the BC Digital Classroom.

Focused Education Resources is a not-for-profit, shared services organization that supports excellence in K-12 education in British Columbia. It is a consortium of BC public school districts and independent schools that work together to create accessible learning resources for BC schools. Within Focused Education Resources is the BC Digital Classroom, which houses many of the subscriptions available to HCOS and Flex families.

Logging In

There are two steps to log in to 4Canoes.

Step 1: Navigate to BC Digital Classroom, then select the 4Canoes icon.

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Step 2: Enter the username and password for 4Canoes from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

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Navigation & Use

A slider bar or forward arrow underneath the magazine allows you to move quickly from one place to another within the magazine. There is also an arrow in the magazine's middle, far-right, and far-left to turn page by page.

The "Recommended Resources" section at the end of some of the articles will enhance teaching.

The "Kids Fun Zone" has engaging activities for younger children. There are traditional interactive stories and activities to accompany them.

It is possible to purchase the print version of these magazines at a 30% discount from Goodminds.com using the code ERAC.

Axis

Axis (Grades 5-12) is geared toward building lifelong faith by helping parents and caring adults talk with teens about topics they might not otherwise discuss. Their vision is to see all caring adults equipped with the conversation, discipleship, and cultural translation skills needed to reach the next generation for Christ. They began as a ministry offering resources to families and youth workers; several years ago, the ministry morphed into an online one and has since expanded. You will notice that this site does not tell you (or your teens) how to think. Instead, it gives up-to-date information and asks questions, which you may use to open discussion with your students or children.

Logging In 

Navigate to Axis and start exploring the resources. You do not need to set up an account to use this website.

Navigation & Use

Some of the information may be sensitive to students. Parents are encouraged to supervise their children while using this site and to engage in regular conversation to discuss topics.

Explore resources by selecting the buttons in the top right menu on the home page. You can return to the home page by selecting the Axis logo in the top left corner.

Click below to learn more about the specific features offered by Axis.

The Culture Translator

The Culture Translator is a weekly email on what's trending in culture and how it affects your teen's world.

It will help you stay up-to-date on the music, movies, TV shows, and social media trends impacting your kid's world. This resource is set up to make it easier to start conversations about the issues that matter most to your kids and provide you with Christ-like responses. It doesn't seek to teach you what to think but rather how to think about these topics through the lens of Jesus. They pray that The Culture Translator will help develop empathy in your heart for all the challenges the next generation faces daily.

You can sign up for the weekly email or explore past editions at https://axis.org/resource-category/culture-translator/

Conversation Kits

Explore tough topics together through teen-friendly videos that break down barriers and offer keys for deeper conversations. Conversation Kits are recorded presentations meant to be watched with your teen to get them thinking about what truly matters. Find Conversation kits by clicking "Resources for Parents" at the top right of the page or by scrolling down the home page.

Parent Guides

Talking about issues like smartphones, eating disorders, Snapchat, video games, and sexting with teens can be scary and complicated. But it doesn't have to be! Parent Guides are downloadable PDFs with links to content that will help you understand what your teens face, how to have conversations about them, and how to Biblically disciple them into lifelong faith through it all. Find Parent Guides by selecting "Resources for Parents" from the top right of the page.

Podcasts

Dive in with parenting experts and take your conversations with your kids to the next level. The Axis Podcast Network provides a learning environment for you in a format that is easy to consume in your busy life. Each episode will invite you into the Axis parenting community and coach you through building stronger conversations with the kids and teens in your life. Find podcasts by selecting "Resources For Parents" at the top right of the home page.

Select any podcast title and find many more recent episodes under that title by scrolling down the page.

BC ExamBank

BC ExamBank (K-Grade 12) allows students to write online practice exams in core subject areas. The site consists of practice exams that are aligned with British Columbia's curriculum. In ExamBank, completed tests are automatically marked to give students immediate feedback.  The tests are randomly generated from question banks so students can write tests multiple times for better preparation.

Logging In

There are four steps to log in to the BC ExamBank.

Step 1: Navigate to BC ExamBank. Do not log in at the top of the page. Select the grade you would like to practice.

Step 2: Select the subject area.

Step 3: Select the test that you wish to take.

Step 4: Enter the username and password for BC ExamBank from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

Navigation & Use

Watch this short video to learn more about how students can use the BC ExamBank site.

If you cannot access tests when clicking the "Start test" button, you likely have a pop-up window blocker installed on your computer. Please add bc.exambank.com to your pop-up blocker's trusted sites list.

BC ExamBank immediately generates the answers for the student when the student selects "submit" at the end of the test. Test results explain how to find the correct answers. This gives a student a jump-start in understanding questions that they answered incorrectly.

Once a test is completed, students can send results to their support teacher by scrolling to the bottom of the page and filling out the following form.

Printing Exams

If you print copies of an exam, your use is limited to a period of 10 months from the date that the exam is printed. Enter the exam you wish to print. Click and drag to highlight the exam. Right-click on the text and select "print."

BrainPOP

BrainPOP (K-Grade 8) is an educational platform with animated videos and engaging resources in various subject areas. There are three resources for different grade levels: 

BrainPOP Jr. (K-Grade 3) encourages young learners to ask questions and form their own ideas. Each curricular topic includes an animated movie, learning games, concept mapping, and interactive features that help extend key concepts and meet the needs of students with different learning styles. Text is read aloud to facilitate comprehension.

BrainPOP (Grades 4-6) topics include animated movies, concept mapping, learning games, playful assessments, and primary source activities. These engaging resources help build higher-order thinking, cognitive, and literacy skills while encouraging reflection and giving students multiple ways to share their learning. Following each movie clip, students can participate in quizzes, cartoons, and do-it-yourself experiments, and send their quiz results to their support teacher.

BrainPOP Français and BrainPOP Español (Grades 4-8) are intended for students who speak these languages fluently or are looking to reinforce language skills. These sites are not for French or Spanish language learners.

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

There are two account options to sign in with BrainPOP. 

Shared Account

There are three steps to log in to the BrainPOP shared account.

Step 1: Navigate to BrainPOP and click the “Log In” button in the top right corner. 

Step 2: Enter the username and password for BrainPOP from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

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Step 3: Select “Keep using a shared account” at the bottom of the screen.

Student work is not saved when using the shared account.

Individual Student Account

There are six steps to log into the BrainPOP individual student account.

Step 1: Contact your support teacher and request a BrainPOP code.

Step 2: Navigate to BrainPOP and click "Enter Code" in the top right corner.

Step 3: Enter the code from your support teacher.

Step 4: Select “Create Account."

Step 5: Complete the fields, then select "Create account."

Step 6: Use the "Log in" button for all future visits.

Navigation & Use

Watch the video below for a quick overview of BrainPOP.

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Students can select a specific subject or “Today’s Topic.” 

Once a topic is selected, explore the available resources.

BrainPOP Español and BrainPOP Français are recommended for grades 4-8.  These are intended for students who speak these languages fluently or are looking to reinforce language skills. Bear in mind, they are not language-learning tools.BrainPOP Science is only available for students through the Individual Teacher-led Student Account, not the Shared Account. Please find the BrainPOP Science information on the SOPHIE BrainPOP Science page.

BrainPOP Educators

Parents and teachers can access BrainPOP Educators without logging into the site. The great variety of information to be found there is free to them. The link can be found by scrolling down on the home page:

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or in the navigation at the very bottom of the page:

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BrainPOP Science

BrainPOP Science (Grades 6-8) empowers students to do, discuss, and analyze scientific ideas through inquiry-based investigations, virtual science and engineering experiments, and claim-evidence-reasoning processes.

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

There are five steps to log in to BrainPOP Science.

Step 1: Contact your support teacher and request a BrainPOP code.

Step 2: Navigate to BrainPOP Science. Select the “Log in” button at the top right of the page, and select “I am a kid” from the drop-down menu. 

Step 3: Select “Have a class code?” in the bottom right of the screen.

Step 4: Enter the code from your support teacher.

Step 5: Select "Create Account" or "Log in"(if your teacher gave you a username and password), to access your classroom. 

Navigation & Use

Your support teacher will assign work for you to complete. Follow the instructions and complete the assignments.

Assignments will be cleared on July 1st. Please take screenshots of anything you'd like to save or recreate.

Canadian Reader

The Canadian Reader (Grades 3-5) is a current events resource that combines current Canadian events and geography issues to encourage students to expand their knowledge of Canada while enhancing their ability to read and understand informational text. 

The magazine is published eight times a year from September to May. Each issue includes:

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

Access to the Canadian Reader has changed. Contact your teacher to receive access to the Canadian Reader resources

Navigation & Use

Your support teacher will need to forward the documents to you.

Magazine Formats

Magazines are available in two formats: .pdf and .docx.

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Students' resource links that coordinate with the current magazines can be found here.


Currents4Kids and News4Youth

These Canadian Social Studies Subscription resources (Grades 3-12) and learning tools feature weekly articles about important news stories and empower students to understand and explore current events around the world. 

Currents4Kids (Grades 3-7)

Currents4Kids is a Canadian Social Studies resource featuring weekly articles about important news stories. It empowers students to understand and explore current events worldwide. 

News4Youth (Grades 7-12)

News4Youth (Grades 7-12) is an online teaching resource that brings current world events alive! Students gain weekly access to articles carefully selected from credible news sites such as cbc.ca, which are non-sensational, significant within society, and relevant to students and the curriculum. 

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

Contact your support teacher and request a Currents4Kids or a News4Youth account. Next, navigate to Currents4Kids or News4Youth and log in using the provided information.

Navigation & Use

Select "Home" from the blue bar to find the articles.

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Read below to learn more about the specific features offered by Currents4Kids.

Listen to the Article

Select the arrow beneath the photo caption to hear the pre-recorded articles read aloud. Select "slow," "normal," or "fast" to set the speed at which you hear the article.

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Find Definitions

To use the dictionary box located in the margin to the left of each article, type the word you’d like to look up in the box. Click ‘Go’.

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Take Quizzes

Each article has two quizzes. Both consist of five multiple-choice or true/false questions.  

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To complete the quizzes, select the ‘Quizzes’ tab underneath the article's title.
Students can respond to the questions individually and find their results after completing the quiz. Teachers will see all the questions and possible responses.

Find Helpful Tutorials

Scroll to the bottom of the Subscription page and select “help & tutorials.” Scroll down on the next page that loads to “#2 Using Articles.”

Discovery Education

The Discovery Education online video library (K-Grade 12) contains over 5,000 full-length educational videos, including Canadian content correlated to the BC curriculum. Video clips and audio files are available in both English and French.

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

There are two steps to log in to the Discovery Education shared parent account.

Step 1: Navigate to Discovery Education and select "Student." (Be careful to log in to the Canadian site.ca.)

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Step 2: Enter the username and password for Discovery Education from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal. You may need to hand-type the username and password into Discovery Ed to log in. You do not need to set up an account to use this Subscription.

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Navigation & Use

Watch this short video to learn more about how students can use the Discovery Education site.


Enchanted Learning

Enchanted Learning (K-Grade 5) provides crafts and activities to capture the imagination while maximizing creativity, learning, and enjoyment. Their mission is to produce the best educational material, emphasizing creativity and the pure enjoyment of learning.

Logging In

There are two steps to log in to Enchanted Learning.

Step 1: Navigate to Enchanted Learning and select "Login."

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Step 2: Enter the username and password for Enchanted Learning from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

You may find that you are not logged in the first time you try. A second attempt will usually get you into Enchanted Learning.

Navigation & Use

Use the Site Index to view major topics(eg. astronomy, geography, K-3 Themes, printable books, Spanish, etc.).

Students may find it easier to explore the site using the Little Explorers Picture Dictionary. To find a topic, look it up in the dictionary and click on the picture to go to a page on that picture. For example, to find the topic “dinosaurs,” go to the D Page, scroll down until you find the entry for dinosaurs, and select the dinosaur.

EVERFI

EVERFI (Gr. 2-12) covers digital citizenship, STEM, financial literacy, health education, and career readiness. Activities are short, relevant, and engaging.

Logging In

There are six steps to log into EVERFI.

Step 1: Email our Subscriptions Facilitator, Margaret Basaraba, for the EVERFI registration code.

Step 2: Navigate to EVERFI, then select the “Register” button next to “Don’t have an account?” 

Step 3: Select "Student."

Step 6: Complete the form to create your account. Remember your username and password so you can log in again.

Navigation & Use

Below are the subject areas and suggested grade levels for EVERFI courses. Students can use the "Listen" option, which allows them to hear text read aloud.

Compassion Project: Lower Elementary is the only course available for Gr. 2-3.

Financial Literacy
STEM
Physical and Health Education

Scholarships

FutureSmart Scholarships for $2000 and $5,000 529 College Savings Gift Cards will be awarded this spring to students who submit the entry form and complete at least 3 EVERFI lessons in one or more courses during the 2025-26 school year.

Deadlines to enter are January 13, 2025(Fall Semester) and June 9, 2025(Spring Semester). Winners will be notified soon thereafter. Find the scholarship application here. 

Explora Canada

Explora Canada (Grades 8-12) supports student research with rich, reliable content and easy-to-use functionality. It is a modern and efficient research experience designed specifically for schools and public libraries. Explora could be used with strong grade 6, and 7 students.

Logging In

Navigate to Explora Canada. Enter the username and password for Explora from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

Student work is not saved when using the shared account. Students must set up a personal account in EBSCOhost Student folders to save their research in Explora Canada.

Navigation & Use

Setting up a personal student account.

  1. Log in to Explora Canada using the credentials in the Search Portal.
  2. Select "myEBSCO" at the top right of the page. Then select "Create an account."

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   3. Set up your email address and password.

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   4. Sign in to your student account where projects can be saved.

Research Made Easy With Explora video.

EBSCOhost has improved its interface to make searching easier. Check out the Explora Quick Start Guide for helpful articles.

Recommended tutorials:

Flipster Magazines

Flipster Magazines (K-Grade 12) is an innovative digital magazine platform that allows easy browsing on various topics.

Logging In

Navigate to Flipster. Enter the username and password for Flipster Magazines from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal. You do not need to set up an account to use these magazines.

Navigation & Use

Click below to learn more about specific magazines available through this subscription.

Ranger Rick Jr. (K-Grade 2)

Ranger Rick Jr. is filled with fun, age-appropriate animal facts, stories, photos, exciting outdoor activities, and lots of games, crafts, and recipes. Great for beginning readers! Monthly Parent Reading Guides help enhance the Ranger Rick Jr. subscription by recommending ways to use the magazine to encourage a strong foundation for early literacy development. There are 10 issues published per year.

Chickadee (Grades 1-4)

Created in 1979, Chickadee satisfies the 6- to 9-year-old’s insatiable thirst for knowledge and appetite for humour. Chickadee acknowledges the growing independence of primary-aged children and fosters their curiosity about and connection to the world around them.

Every month, the Chickadee team creates interactive stories, puzzles, animal features, and science experiments to educate and entertain readers.

Kayak Magazine (Grades 2-7)

Kayak Magazine is designed to catch the imagination of 7 to 12-year-olds. Every issue introduces children to Canada's fascinating stories and shows them our history in context with today's world! Educational and entertaining, Kayak imparts knowledge of Canada's fascinating history.

Les Débrouillards (Grades 4-9)

Les Débrouillards is a French language magazine about nature, the environment, technology, space, the human body, communications, history, and the future. There are 11 issues published per year (September to July). Each issue includes the following features:

This magazine is set up for fluent French students.

British Columbia History Magazine (Grades 8-12)

Discover British Columbia’s Past! British Columbia History is the British Columbia Historical Federation’s flagship publication, a quarterly magazine chronicling British Columbia’s unique story through the words and images of community writers, archivists, museum professionals, academic historians, and more.

Fresh, engaging, personal, and relevant, every issue is packed with articles, photographs, maps, illustrations, book reviews, and insights into local archives. They publish four issues per year.

The British Columbia History Magazine also publishes a Study Guide. The focus of the study guide is to encourage students to dig deeper into history to find a quiet or unheard voice. The guide will deepen understanding and knowledge of colonial histories and the current realities of Indigenous People, as well as an understanding of social injustices and discriminatory policies in Canada (including Residential Schools, the head tax, the legal system, disenfranchisement, and internment).

Focused Education Resources

Focused Education Resources (K-Grade 12) is a consortium of BC public school districts and independent schools that work together to create accessible learning resources for BC schools.

See the available resources below.

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Logging In

On Campus

To log in go here. 

No username and password are required if you are on campus at Flex Academy. You can move easily between the different BC Digital Classroom resources.

At Home

To log in go here.

Scroll down to click on the icon for the subscription you wish to access, and a login page will open.  You will then enter the username and password found in the Search Portal on the Subs/Password tab.

Once you have logged in to one of the resources on the Focused Ed page, you can easily move to another resource title without signing in again. Focused Ed will allow you to move between resources after signing in only once. Each new resource that you open will open in a new tab.

You may see this login area at the top right of the page (Especially on the Nat Geo Kids resource) as you move between resources. You DO NOT need to use this area to log in again. Scroll down the page and begin using the resource by selecting the chosen resource and logging in using the login box that generates.

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Navigation & Use

Once you have logged in to one of the resources on the Focused Ed page, you can move to another resource title without signing in again.

Each resource on the Focused Ed page has its own instruction page in the Subscriptions Chapter of SOPHIE.

The Core Collection

The Core Collection includes resources from these vendors:

The a la Carte Collection

The a la Carte Collection includes the following resources (Some resources require teachers to set up an account):   

    

Gale Databases

Gale Databases (Grades 8-12) is one of the world leaders in research and educational publishing. This subscription includes full-text magazine and newspaper articles and articles from over 600 online databases with up-to-date subject matter. Gale Databases are accessed through Focused Education Resources and the BC Digital Classroom.

Focused Education Resources is a not-for-profit, shared services organization that supports excellence in K-12 education in British Columbia. It is a consortium of BC public school districts and independent schools that work together to create accessible learning resources for BC schools. Within Focused Education Resources is the BC Digital Classroom, which houses many of the subscriptions available to HCOS and Flex families.

Read below to learn more about the specific databases available through Gale.

Gale in Context: Canada

Gale in Context: Canada contains information on various Canadian topics, people, places, and events. Students can access content written from a Canadian perspective, including full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, images, videos, audio files, and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience.

Gale in Context: Global Issues

Gale in Context: Global Issues offers international viewpoints on global issues, topics, and current events. Resources may be a springboard for critical thinking and analysis of social, political, military, economic, environmental, health, and cultural issues. Students can access articles, references, periodicals, primary sources, and statistical information.

Gale in Context: Science

Gale in Context: Science provides information on hundreds of today’s most significant science topics. Note that the Science in Context site also includes some Math topics.

Gale Power Search

Gale PowerSearch is a periodical, reference, multimedia, and primary source information search platform.

Logging In

There are two steps to log in to Gale Databases.

Step 1: Navigate to BC Digital Classroom, then select the icon for the Gale Database you wish to access.

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Step 2: Enter the username and password for Gale Databases from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

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Navigation & Use

Resources Tutorial

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The Advanced Search feature underneath the search bar allows users to add filters and generate more specific results.

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Topic Finder 

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Users can find information organized by topic. Results can be formatted as tiles or a wheel. Below is the result of a search for “First Nations.”

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Content Levels and Lexile Measures allow readers to determine whether an article is written at an appropriate reading level for their learning needs.

The Translate button invites students to translate articles into a different language. Once a language has been selected, click on the "Complete Translation" button. The article's text will be translated, and the speaker button will allow the student to hear the article spoken in the selected language. This could be very useful when learning a second language.

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The Listen toolbar features read-aloud options and downloadable MP3s. The settings icon ⚙️ provides assistive technology options, including highlighting words, high contrast mode, speed adjust, and enhanced text visibility. Click on it to learn more and apply these features.

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Gizmos

Gizmos (Grades 3-12) is an interactive math and science simulation library. There are over 475 Gizmos to bring powerful new learning experiences to students. Gizmos use an inquiry-based approach to learning, validated by extensive research as a highly effective way to build conceptual understanding. 

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

Gizmos has classrooms that students can sign into and work in independently. Student work is saved, and support teachers can log in to view progress.

There are five steps to log into Gizmos.

Step 1: Contact our Subscriptions Facilitator, Margaret Basaraba, through email or LiveChat on regular school days from 9 am to 3 pm for the Gizmos class codes.

Step 2: Navigate to Gizmos and enter your class code that you received from Margaret Basaraba.

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Step 3: Select either the blue or green button depending on whether you have set up an account already or are a new user.

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Step 4: Select the green button if you are a new user and need to create a student account. Fill in the form and select "submit."

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Step 5: Log in to Gizmos using your username and password to enter your classroom.

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Navigation & Use

Introductory video below.

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Select “Launch” to begin using a Gizmo.

When your Gizmo opens, you will see “Lesson Info” and the arrows to select to make the Gizmo full screen in the top right corner. Click your keyboard escape button to exit the full-screen view.

Selecting the “Lesson info” drop-down menu will display the student exploration sheet, which explains how to use the Gizmo. Students can type directly into the document by saving the file to their computer and then typing in either Microsoft Word or Google Docs. There are also vocabulary sheets available for student use.

Assessment questions are located below the Gizmo. Exit fullscreen mode, then scroll to the bottom. 

Here are some suggestions for families wishing to use Gizmos with K-Grade 2 students:

HearBuilder

HearBuilder (K-Grade 8) is an online literacy program that provides systematic instruction in basic concepts, following directions, phonological awareness, sequencing, and auditory memory.  

Select the Logo below to listen to a short description of HearBuilder. Skip past the advertisement at the beginning.

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This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

  1. Navigate to HearBuilder and select the student login button.

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 2. Enter your username, password, and the login code given to you by your support teacher.

HearBuilder has a limited number of seats. It is available by referral from your support teacher.

Navigation & Use

Once logged in to HearBuilder, choose one of the four programs. Select the "Home" button in the top left corner to return to the home screen. HearBuilder recommends 15 minutes per day for four to five days per week. Teachers recommend using two of the four programs during each use.

 

Using HearBuilder on an iPad

HearBuilder works best when used on a computer. When using an iPad, all four of the HearBuilder program apps, seen in the picture above, must be downloaded individually.

KnowBC (Encyclopedia of BC)

KnowBC (K-Grade 12) is BC's leading general reference site. It combines many resources, including the Encyclopedia of BC, which contains 4,000 articles and 1,000 pictures about British Columbia. The KnowBC website is accessed through Focused Education Resources and the BC Digital Classroom.

Focused Education Resources is a not-for-profit, shared services organization that supports excellence in K-12 education in British Columbia. It is a consortium of BC public school districts and independent schools that work together to create accessible learning resources for BC schools. Within Focused Education Resources is the BC Digital Classroom, which houses many of the subscriptions available to HCOS and Flex families.

Logging In

There are two steps to log in to KnowBC.

Step 1: Navigate to BC Digital Classroom, then select the KnowBC icon.

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Step 2: Enter the username and password for KnowBC from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

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Navigation & Use

Use the search bar on the left side of the page and select “Searching KnowBC” to find a list of links for the many resources that are available to you through KnowBC.

Use the green bar at the top of the home page to find the resources listed there. Use the advanced search button on the top right of the page to search multiple resources at once.

Learn360

Learn360 (K-Grade 12) is the ultimate streaming multimedia resource. Users can access 200,000 media resources, including videos, interactives, printables, audio content, maps, flags, and more. It is a powerful tool for blended instruction and project-based learning.

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

Navigate to Learn360, then enter the username and password for Learn360 from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

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If you would like to set up a personal student account, contact our Subscriptions Facilitator, Margaret Basaraba, through Live Chat on regular school days from 9 am to 3 pm., for the student passkey.

Navigation & Use

Watch this short instructional video.

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When you enter Learn360, you will see the main menu at the top of your screen.

Topic Centers pull together many resources found in Learn360 for a given topic.

Bread crumbs along the top make it easier to return to previous topics.

You can simplify your search by selecting the hamburger menu (three lines) to the left of the Learn360 logo and selecting a grade range. Learn360 will use this grade range to filter as you search for new topics.

You can save research information by selecting the icon next to “Hi Heritage” and then selecting “My Content” from the drop-down menu. Create a folder, give it a title, and save your items in the folder.

Select the Learn360 logo to return to the home page.

Live It Earth

Live It Earth (K-Grade 8) features new cross-curricular activities and challenges throughout the school year. Once a month, a live video presentation called "Feature Show" can be accessed, which is then saved to the dashboard for future use. The Live It Earth website is accessed through Focused Education Resources and the BC Digital Classroom.

Focused Education Resources is a not-for-profit, shared services organization that supports excellence in K-12 education in British Columbia. It is a consortium of BC public school districts and independent schools that work together to create accessible learning resources for BC schools. Within Focused Education Resources is the BC Digital Classroom, which houses many of the subscriptions available to HCOS and Flex families.

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

There are four steps to log in to Live It Earth.

Step 1: Contact your support teacher and request a Live It Earth passcode.

Step 2: Navigate to BC Digital Classroom, then select the Live It Earth icon at the bottom of the page.

Step 3: Select the “Login” button.

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Step 4: Enter the passcode from your support teacher.

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Navigation & Use

Watch this short video below.

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Select the tabs at the top of the home page to access the various resources. You can toggle between English and French by using the drop-down menu at the top right corner of the page.

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Matific

Matific (K-Grade 6) is a game-based platform for building specific mathematical concepts and skills. Each episode is 5-15 minutes, engaging students in playing math games while helping them master core math concepts.

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

There are two types of accounts: student accounts and parent accounts.

Student Account

There are three steps to log into the student account.

Step 1: Contact your support teacher and request a username and password.

Step 2: Navigate to Matific, enter the username provided by your support teacher, then click the orange "Continue" button. 

Step 3: Enter the password provided by your support teacher, then click the orange "Log in" button.

Parent Account

There are five steps to log in to the parent account.

Step 1: Email your support teacher to request and ask for your email address to be added to your child's account. You will receive an email to verify your account and set up a password. 

Step 2: Log in to your child’s Matific account and click on the blue cog in the upper right corner.

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Step 3: Choose “Parent” from the list of options.

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Step 4: Sign in using your parent password, then click the green "Continue" button.

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Step 5: Select your child's name to see their report and progress.

Navigation & Use

Watch this short video below.

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Students will be given a placement test called “Pilot Training.” Students need to complete the placement test without assistance so they are placed at the appropriate level. 

First, students can choose to set up an avatar and a nickname. Then, students will enter Adventure Island and begin their “Pilot Training.” When they finish the placement test, they will see their Pilot Badge on the screen and begin to travel down the Adventure Island path.

Parent-Assigned Activities 

Parents can choose to assign their children's activities using the "Parent Assigned" category on the "Assigned Work" map by logging in to their parent account and following these four steps.

Step 1: On the Parent Dashboard, scroll down to "Skill Performance" and select the drop-down arrow. 

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Step 2: Select up to five activities by clicking the title, then clicking "Assign 5 activities." Click the "X" to close the page.

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Step 3: Once you have assigned work, select "Switch user" at the top of the page to return to your child's workspace.

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Step 4: View the "Assigned Work" island to confirm that work is assigned (look for the green circle). As each of the assignments is completed, the number on the island will decrease.

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Stuck on a Problem

If your student is on a problem and cannot move forward, use the bookmark tab to go to the next problem. It is found on the top right corner of the page.

myBlueprint

MyBlueprint (Grades 7-12) is a Career Education planner. The platform is a great asset as our students prepare for the creation of their digital portfolios and the world of work. Some of the features students will find in myBlueprint are:

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

There are six steps to log in to myBlueprint.

Step 1: Navigate to the myBlueprint landing page and select the "Sign Up" button in the top right corner. 

Step 2: Select your school from the drop-down menu.

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Step 3: Select "Student" for the account type.

Step 4: Select your grade level, then select the green "Continue" button.

Step 5: Complete the form, then select the green "Continue" button.

 

Step 6: Fill in the form with your account information and select "continue."

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Once your account is set up, visit myBlueprint and click the "Log In" button to enter your username/email and password. Your teacher may have done this in advance, and you will be able to bypass the steps above.

Navigation & Use

Watch this short video below.

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The best place to start is by visiting the Education Planner Resources hub. There are many resources on a variety of topics, including Getting Started, Implementation & Curriculum, Exemplar Portfolios & Checklists, Lesson Plans, and Course Packages. Be sure to select "British Columbia" in the province filter box to access the resources for BC students.

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Here are some selected highlights from the Education Planner Resources hub:

Career and Life Assessment Surveys

The "Who Am I?" video explains how students can use the five career and life assessment surveys.

Scholarships

1. Enter your myBlueprint account. 

2. Select "Dashboard" from the left menu bar.

3. Use the "x" to close the "Welcome to myBlueprint" box.

4. Select "Show Prizes - View Scholarships"

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Apply for these scholarships by April 26, 2025.

Ten $3000 HR Block Canadian Scholarship contest for students in grade 12. 

Five $1000 myBlueprint Canadian Scholarship Contest for students in grades 11 and 12 attending a Canadian post-secondary institution.

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Year At A Glance

The Year at a Glance documents offer a month-by-month breakdown of learning goals, student activities, and valuable resources for successfully implementing the Education Planner for Grade 7-12 students. Click the links below to access the resources for each grade level:

Beyond Graduation

When students reach the end of their Grade 12 year and are ready to graduate, myBlueprint will prompt them to update the email on their account from a school email to a personal one. Adding a personal email will ensure that students will retain full access to their myBlueprint accounts free of charge after graduation.

According to their Privacy Policy, myBlueprint will delete accounts that have been inactive for more than 24 months. Before deletion, students will be notified via email to prompt them to log in to their accounts to retain access. If they do so, the 24-month window resets. If the student still does not log in, the account will be deleted.

Mystery Science

Mystery Science (K-Grade 5) contains hands-on, low-prep, easy-to-use activities to engage students in learning the "doing" of science and engineering. There are three levels for families to choose from:

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

First, select which mysteries you want to use by visiting the Mystery Science Lessons by Grade Level spreadsheet. The previous link also contains the titles of the "Mini-Mysteries" which are each about five minutes long. You may also find it useful to select your mysteries from the Mystery Science Year Plan. Once you have selected your lessons, email your support teacher with the lesson names to receive a student link.

Navigation & Use

For information about getting started, visit the Mystery Science – Getting Started hub.

Mystery Doug is a weekly video series from the creators of Mystery Science that inspires students to ask questions! It’s the perfect five-minute break for morning meetings, snack time, or any transitions in your day. Mystery Doug can also be found on YouTube.

Purchasing Access to Mystery Science

Families can sign up for a paid account through the HCOS purchasing department at a cost of $99.00 USD. Mystery Science offers discounts on homeschool memberships during their early April and August sales of about $69.00 USD. 

If parents purchase an account in Mystery Science and their teacher sends them a link, it will not open if the parent is signed in to their purchased account. Parents will need to sign out and clear their browser cache before clicking the link sent by the teacher. Parents do not need to log in to be able to open the link.

National Film Board Education

The NFB Education (K-Grade 12) includes creative documentaries, animation, interactive stories, and participatory experiences. Their mission is to provide new perspectives on Canada and the world from Canadian points of view that serve Canadian and global audiences through an imaginative exploration of who we are and what we may be. The National Film Board website is accessed through Focused Education Resources and the BC Digital Classroom.

Focused Education Resources is a not-for-profit, shared services organization that supports excellence in K-12 education in British Columbia. It is a consortium of BC public school districts and independent schools that work together to create accessible learning resources for BC schools. Within Focused Education Resources is the BC Digital Classroom, which houses many of the subscriptions available to HCOS and Flex families.

Logging In

The Education Menu

There is no longer a username and password to enter the Education Menu.

Step 1: Navigate to BC Digital Classroom, then select the National Film Board icon.


The Media School

Media school is for teachers and students aged 13+. Logging in is required.

Step 1: Navigate to BC Digital Classroom, then select the National Film Board icon.

Step 2: Select "Sign In" from the left menu bar.

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Step 3: Select "Create your NFB account."

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Step 4: Set up your account.

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The next time you log in, go to nfb.ca and select "Sign in" from the menu on the left.

Navigation & Use

Select “Education” from the menu on the left of the page.

Select “More Resources” from the top menu bar. Then select “Professional Development” from the drop-down menu.


Digital Storytelling is an introductory workshop on media production. Students can navigate through videos and interactive activities related to the different stages of film production. They will acquire the tools to create digital stories and dynamic videos using accessible equipment (e.g., smartphones, software).

Ocean School is an environmental resource that aims to create a generation of ocean-literate citizens. A team of educators and scientists take learners on a global aquatic expedition that provides the knowledge and tools to produce innovative solutions to the world’s oceans' growing challenges.

Mini-Lessons are set up within school subjects and recommended age groups. They include an educational synopsis, overarching questions, activities, short films, historical context, and online resources.

Educational Playlists are selections of films on curricular themes which address the important issues of the day. Many of the playlists are also linked to the study guides.

NFB Study Guides are designed to facilitate the integration of films into student learning. Study guides are written by Canadian educators and are designed to be a starting point for creating personalized lesson plans.

Difficulties streaming a film?

Please update your browser if the player window does not appear on the film page. If you still cannot see the film player, please get in touch with Margaret Basaraba through LiveChat on school days from 9 am to 3 pm. She will need to know your browser type and version, and if you are trying to watch our films on a school network or via a proxy server.

If you can see the player but can’t play the film you wish to view, please check whether you experience the same problem when viewing other films or the same film at a different resolution. The player window should automatically adapt the quality to your connection quality, but you can also choose your quality level. If you experience this problem with only one film, please contact Margaret Basaraba with the film's name and the resolution setting so the National Film Board team can investigate further. If you experience this problem with all films, please upgrade your browser and/or use a different internet browser (e.g., Safari, Firefox, Chrome).

If the film you are trying to watch starts and stops, try selecting a lower resolution for video playback. Using a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi and reducing the traffic on your network (e.g., downloading other files simultaneously) may also improve playback.

National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids (K-Grade 7) is a children's magazine published by the National Geographic Society. It is a one-stop shop for elementary and middle school students interested in the cultural or natural world. The National Geographic Kids website is accessed through Focused Education Resources and the BC Digital Classroom.

Focused Education Resources is a not-for-profit, shared services organization that supports excellence in K-12 education in British Columbia. It is a consortium of BC public school districts and independent schools that work together to create accessible learning resources for BC schools. Within Focused Education Resources is the BC Digital Classroom, which houses many of the subscriptions available to HCOS and Flex families.

Logging In

There are two steps to log in to National Geographic Kids.

Step 1: Navigate to BC Digital Classroom, then select the National Geographic Kids icon.

Step 2: Enter the username and password for National Geographic Kids from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

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Navigation & Use

National Geographic has magazines, books, videos, and pictures.

Headings on the site can be changed to different languages through the drop-down menu at the top right of the page.

The language and font size of articles can be changed in the menu above the article.

Articles can be cited, downloaded, saved, and printed.

Advanced Search can be used to make your search more specific.

PebbleGo and PebbleGo Next

PebbleGo and PebbleGo Next (K-Grade 5) are searchable databases covering animals, science, biographies, social studies, and health. It is a fantastic tool to build basic research skills.

PebbleGo (K-Grade 3) has built-in reading and research tools such as levelled texts, consistent navigation, fun educational games, and spoken-word audio that models correct pronunciation and fluency.

PebbleGo Next (Grades 3-5) provides curriculum-connected articles designed for intermediate-aged students.

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

Use the PebbleGo direct link in the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

Navigation & Use

Watch the short video below.

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Visit the Resources Centre to locate videos, lesson plans, and content maps.

PebbleGo and PebbleGo Next use visual navigation tools. Users can search by either typing into the search bar or clicking on the breadcrumb pictures underneath the search bar. Selecting any of the pictures will take you back to that specific page.

Students can choose to play games or answer the question of the day.

PebbleGo and PebbleGo Next also include assistive technology. Hover your mouse over headings to hear them read aloud. Articles are read aloud by selecting the arrow at the article's beginning. Select highlighted words to read or hear the definition.

Once students have chosen an article, a new bar appears at the bottom of the page with several options.

ProQuest (Historical BC Newspapers)

ProQuest (Historical BC newspapers) (Grades 8-12) includes over 365 million pages of world-class collections, 325 years of historical periodical content, and 350 years of global, national, and regional newspapers. ProQuest gives researchers access to more than 125 years of the historical archives of The Province (1894-2010), the Vancouver Sun (1912-2010), and the Times-Colonist (1884 -2010), including in-depth insights into how stories and perspectives evolved over the decades. Students can review primary source material through local and regional stories, events, and people. ProQuest is accessed through Focused Education Resources and the BC Digital Classroom.

Focused Education Resources is a not-for-profit, shared services organization that supports excellence in K-12 education in British Columbia. It is a consortium of BC public school districts and independent schools that work together to create accessible learning resources for BC schools. Within Focused Education Resources is the BC Digital Classroom, which houses many of the subscriptions available to HCOS and Flex families.

Logging In

There are two steps to log in to ProQuest.

Step 1: Navigate to BC Digital Classroom, then select the ProQuest icon.

Step 2: Enter the username and password for ProQuest from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

Navigation & Use

To begin using ProQuest, you must accept cookies at the bottom of the page. Until you do this, the homepage is grayed out.

You can search for Historical BC Newspapers using a basic or advanced search. You can also search by publications or databases. You can see in the picture below that you are searching three databases. In the advanced search, you can limit your search by source, document type, and language after entering your search terms.

Once you have started a search, you can return to the home page by clicking on the ProQuest logo at the top left.

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Select the hamburger menu (three lines) and choose “All Databases (5)” from the drop-down menu. You can also access the Support Center by clicking the button at the bottom of this menu.

Reading Eggs, Fast Phonics, & Reading Eggspress

Reading Eggs (K-Grade 7) focuses on a core phonics and sight words curriculum using skills and strategies essential for sustained reading success.

Reading Eggs (K-Grade 2) makes learning to read interesting and engaging for kids with great online reading games and activities. Games, songs, golden eggs, and other rewards motivate students to keep exploring and learning as they build foundational literacy skills.

Reading Eggspress (Grades 2-7) is designed for older readers and provides a unique and effective learning environment. It focuses on building reading fluency and comprehension, spelling and vocabulary, and writing skills, including grammar and punctuation, in an exciting and relevant way. Teachers can assign a read-aloud activity via Reading Eggspress assignments. Students record themselves reading for one minute in a stress-free environment of their choice. Teachers can then remotely listen to these recordings, assess fluency and provide personalized, constructive feedback on student performance.

Fast Phonics (K-Grade 5) is an online synthetic phonics program where children learn essential phonics skills, including letter‑sound recognition, blending, and spelling. Children explore fun activities, decodable reading books, and meet lovable characters like the Reading Eggs Yeti.

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Please preview content before using it with your students, especially in Reading Eggspress, as there may be secular content. These books are optional and are not required reading. Families are advised to actively check texts to make choices that align with their family’s values.

Logging In

There are three steps to log in to Reading Eggs, Reading Eggspress, or Fast Phonics. All three will show up on your dashboard.

Step 1: Contact your support teacher and request login information.

Step 2: Navigate to Reading Eggs and select your desired subscription, then click the blue "Login" button in the top right corner.

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Step 3: Enter the login information from your support teacher.

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Navigation & Use

Here are some helpful videos to review during the initial start-up process:

You can also review more tutorial video content on the Reading Eggs site or try a sample lesson in Reading Eggspress. 

Reading Eggs printable library.

Teacher toolkit

Worksheet bundles

If you would like to share your student's reading progress with your support teacher, consider using a voice recorder (e.g., Vocaroo) and sharing the file.

Additional Learning Opportunities in Reading Eggs

Story Factory (Lessons 11+) invites students to practice writing skills and storytelling by creating their own storybooks. Students can save their books to My House for later rereading or submit them to a weekly contest.

Reggie’s Shop Arcade (Lessons 7+) and My House (Lessons 11+) motivate learners by awarding Golden Eggs to celebrate their learning achievements. In Reggie’s Shop, students can cash in their Golden Eggs to decorate their house or dress their avatars. In the Arcade, students can also spend their Golden Eggs and play educational games.

Spelling Skills Bank (Lessons 41+) incorporates lessons that test spelling strategies, including word structure, word families, meaning, segmentation, phonics, and repetition to build spelling knowledge.

Puzzle Park (Lessons 41+) allows students to experience brain-stretching puzzles that reinforce comprehension, high-frequency sight word knowledge, vocabulary development, and problem-solving. 

Driving Tests (Lessons 41+) assess reading skills such as high-frequency sight words, phonics skills, and vocabulary. Students are rewarded with an exciting racing game when they answer questions correctly.

Storylands (Lessons 61+) focuses on expanding vocabulary and building comprehension skills using activities, levelled texts, and a comprehension quiz in each lesson.

Troubleshooting

rightnow MEDIA

rightnow MEDIA (K-Grade 12) is a video library of Bible study topics for students of all ages, including a "Just for Kids" section. 

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

Find the invitation link under the Subs/Password tab on the Search Portal. Follow the instructions to sign up for an account on rightnow MEDIA.

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Navigation & Use

Watch this short video below.

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Select the "Browse" button in the top left corner to get a quick idea of what is available. Once on the "Browse" page, you can refine your search by selecting the "Advanced Search" button at the far right.

Assistive technology options include "audio only" and picture-in-picture settings.

You can find rightnow MEDIA Kids by selecting the "Kids" button in the top left corner. Select the logo at any time to return to the homepage.

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TeachingBooks

TeachingBooks (K-Grade12) is an online database that explores children’s books and young adult literature. The database provides access to additional materials (e.g., short movies, audio book readings, book discussion guides) to enhance learning, including the following features:

Logging In

Navigate to TeachingBooks, then enter the username and password for TeachingBooks from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

Navigation & Use

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Search TeachingBooks when logged into our school account, and a SORA logo will appear with titles that are in our collection. Select the SORA logo to check out your item. Learn more at TeachingBooks.net/SoraDiscovery.

TeachingBooks can also be accessed through Sora. 

TeachingBooks has an Early Literacy Toolkit available for parents. These include book suggestions, printables, graphic organizers, instructional supports, timely topics, and ready-to-use ideas.

Digital Escape rooms are a fun way to engage students and enhance learning. Navigate to Digital Escape Rooms, then select a book title from the list. Scroll down to select "Book Guides, Activities, and Lessons." Scroll down to the Digital Escape Room button on the next page.

Games include Book Cover Jigsaw Puzzles, Book Description Word Search, Concentration, and Author/Illustrator Name Game.

Fluent French and Spanish speakers may wish to use French Language Resources or Spanish Language Resources. Please note that these resources are not for French or Spanish language learners.

Touch-type Read & Spell

Touch-type Read and Spell (TTRS) (Grades 3-12) is a typing course that is a highly accessible, multi-sensory course that teaches touch-typing, reading, and spelling at the same time. TTRS has 24 levels, each with 31 modules. Modules contain words organized into groups of spelling patterns. Students practice typing these patterns using the correct fingering for touch-typing. At the end of every four modules, there is a dictation module to reinforce patterns previously practiced. The keyboard and screen can be customized for sensory comfort and support.

This course is designed for students who also have difficulty synthesizing phonemes. Engaging the skill of touch-typing aims to provide an additional avenue of learning. It is an excellent resource for students challenged by dyslexia.

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

Step 1: Fill in this short machform.

Step 2: Wait for an email from Subscriptions Coordinator Margaret Basaraba with a username and password.

Step 3: Navigate to TTRS and enter the username and password from Margaret.

If you are a Flex family, don't use the steps above. Navigate to TTRS and enter the username and password that your Flex teacher has given you. 

Navigation & Use

Select the short video below to hear David's story.

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Once you have logged in to the dashboard, you will see a bar at the top to access the TTRS main course, including statistics, subjects, messages, settings, notifications, and your profile information. 

Hand-Placement while typing

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The hand-placement keyboard will not show up when you are using an iPad and are in a browser. Please download the TTRS app onto your iPad to see the hand-placement keyboard.

Subjects and Free Writing

The Subjects tab allows students to practice words within specific areas of interest (e.g., Art, Fitness, Gaming, Music, GCSE Religious Education through Christianity) or English and Spanish Language Arts content (e.g., spelling, grammar, parts of speech). 

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Parents are encouraged to preview age range suggestions for subjects to be sure the subjects chosen are age-appropriate.

Find free writing pages by selecting the "TTRS Course" button on the top menu. Select the green "free writing" button to get started.

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Visit the TTRS Help Centre for more information on adjusting settings. It may also be helpful to download this printable daily checklist to keep track of progress.

Finding The Level You Are Working On

There have been some problems with TTRS' new site. If it refuses to save your work, you can move on by following the instructions below. Please ask your teacher to email Margaret Basaraba if you are having issues with TTRS.

Log in to your account and select the "TTRS" Course button from the top of the page.

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Select the toggle arrow to the left of the "Level" number.

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Select the button for the level that you are working on and continue working.

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You can choose any level button.

Turning Audio Off

The default setting is for TTRS to read aloud the words that are being typed. The audio track accompanies the letters as they appear on screen, reinforcing sound-letter correspondence, which is a crucial skill for sounding out words in reading.

If you wish to turn the audio off, select "Settings" from the top menu bar.

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Next, click on "Audio Settings" from the left menu bar.

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Toggle the "Play word audio" button off, then click the green "Apply Changes" button on the left of the screen. You may also want to turn off "Announce Spacebar" and "Training. The" Announce module praise" feature gives a brief amount of applause as students finish a module.

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Every fourth module is in dictation mode, and the words are not displayed; they are only spoken. If your sound is turned off, you will not be able to hear or see every fourth module.

Finding Reports

Select the "My Stats" tab to see how your student is doing.

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The next page to load will show you the reports from the "Main Course." If your student is working in the "Subjects" area of the course, you will need to select "Subjects" to see those reports.

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Twig Science

Twig Science (Grades 6-10) is an interactive science program that immerses students in the exciting world of science and natural phenomena. It has thousands of short videos covering math and science, plus 80+ hands-on experiments. The Twig Science website is accessed through Focused Education Resources and the BC Digital Classroom.

Focused Education Resources is a not-for-profit, shared services organization that supports excellence in K-12 education in British Columbia. It is a consortium of BC public school districts and independent schools that work together to create accessible learning resources for BC schools. Within Focused Education Resources is the BC Digital Classroom, which houses many of the subscriptions available to HCOS and Flex families.

Logging In

There are two steps to log in to Twig Science.

Step 1: Navigate to BC Digital Classroom, then select the Twig Science icon.

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Step 2: Enter the username and password for Twig Science from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

Navigation & Use

Select the video below to watch an overview of Twig Science for grade six.

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Using the main menu, users can explore Twig Science resources by subject.

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Select the "Find videos" button in the top right corner to access the drop-down menu to select how you would like to use Twig Science.

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Mindmaps and Twig Videos

There are many different types of Twig videos available for Science and Math. Select "Mind Maps" from the drop-down menu and select a topic. Each heading branches into more specific headings as you narrow your search.

Twig Science Reporter

Twig Science Reporter (K-8) is a weekly science news service. The brainchild of Twig Education and Imperial College London, it has been created to help families connect science lessons with real-world news.

Logging In

  1. Enter Focused Education.
  2. Scroll down to the "Twig" icon at the bottom of the page and select it.image.png
  3. Select "Sign up for free."

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4. Fill in the form. Fill in the form using "Central Okanagan #23" as your school district and "Heritage Christian Online School" as your school. Select finish.

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5. To continue to your account, select the "skip" button at the bottom of the page.

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Alternatively, you can also go to YouTube and subscribe to this link. This gives you access to many of the Twig Science Reporters' videos from Imagine Learning. Scroll down after using the link.

Navigation & Use

Select the video below to watch a short preview of grade three Science with Twig.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh9j0bdBtEM

News Updates

Don't miss the latest developments in science and engineering with weekly films focusing on current news and significant world events.

Features

Don't miss the latest developments in science and engineering with weekly films focusing on current news and significant world events.

Videos

Discover the answers to curious questions and meet the craziest creatures with engaging and thought-provoking videos.

Fact Packs

Explore science-related facts with text-based resources.


Tynker

Tynker (K-Grade 10) teaches coding as students create games and animated projects. Students gain a solid foundation in programming and computational thinking, which prepares them to transition to any mainstream object-oriented programming language. After learning the fundamentals, students can transition to JavaScript or Python within the Tynker learning system.

HCOS Enrolled students who wish to receive teacher-guided instruction in Tynker can email Mr Mark Lamden for more information about enrolling in the online ADST: Levelled Coding module. Check with your support teacher for Mr Lamden's contact information.

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

There are eight steps to log in to Tynker.

Step 1: Email Margaret Basaraba for help setting up an account. If your students already have a Tynker account, you can email Margaret Basaraba to ask for additional classes to be added to their account.

Step 2: Navigate to Tynker and select "Log In" from the top right corner.

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Step 3: Select "Student." 

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Step 4: Enter the username and password provided by Margaret or your support teacher, then click the orange "Log in" button.

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Step 5: Select "school" from the drop-down menu by the Tynker logo.

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Step 6: Select the "join a class" button.

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Step 7: Enter the class code provided by Margaret or your support teacher.

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Step 8: Select the course you wish to enter by clicking on the picture.

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Navigation & Use

Watch this short video to learn more about how students can use Tynker. Additional video tutorials are available at the Tynker Support Centre.

Completing Lessons

Each lesson will be brightly lit before it is completed. There will be many steps inside the lesson to complete it. Select the picture to open the lesson.

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As each lesson is completed, it will be grayed out.

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As you start each lesson, you will see locks on each of the parts of the lesson that are not completed. Tynker will move you through each of these steps. When the lesson is complete, all the locks will be gone, and only numbers will remain.

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To log out during a lesson, select "Replay." Go to the top right and select "log out."

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A progress bar will appear if you have only partly completed a lesson.

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Students can repeat previous parts of a lesson by selecting an earlier number.

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Students can move forward to a new lesson by selecting the gray arrow by the Tynker logo in the top left corner.

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All of the numbers will be shown when a lesson is complete.   

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Sound can be turned off by selecting the three dots at the top right corner and then toggling the "Sound" switch.

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What in the World?

What in the World? (Grades 5-10) is a current events resource that enhances understanding of current Canadian and international events. The magazine is published eight times a year from September to May. Each issue includes:

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In 

Access to "What in the World?" magazine has changed. Contact your teacher to receive access to the "What in the World?" resources.

Navigation & Use

Your support teacher will need to forward the documents to you.

Magazine Formats

Magazines are available in two formats: .pdf and .docx.

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Students' resource links that coordinate with the current magazines can be found here.

World Book

World Book (K-Grade 12) is the leading online encyclopedia. The website is accessed through Focused Education Resources and the BC Digital Classroom.

Focused Education Resources is a not-for-profit, shared services organization that supports excellence in K-12 education in British Columbia. It is a consortium of BC public school districts and independent schools that work together to create accessible learning resources for BC schools. Within Focused Education Resources is the BC Digital Classroom, which houses many of the subscriptions available to HCOS and Flex families.

Click below to learn more about the specific features offered by World Book.

Early Learning (K-Grade 3)

Early Learning supports early elementary students with “Trek’s Travels,” “Welcome to Reading,” and “Know It.” These sites include narrative stories, interactive games, and a visual encyclopedia to support early reading, numeracy, and knowledge. Pre-readers will enjoy listening to stories. Readers can control the story's pace as word-by-word highlighting guides them. They can also play games and enjoy sorting, painting, and matching puzzles. Print-and-go activities will also interest your primary-aged students.

World Book Kids (K-Grade 5)

World Book Kids is an online encyclopedia designed for a younger primary elementary audience with easy-to-read articles, illustrations, and engaging activities. Students can enjoy science projects, experiments, biographical searches, animal comparisons, and mapping searches, including World Book Maps with printable PDF maps.

World Book Student (Grades 5-8)

World Book Student gives elementary and middle school students access to encyclopedia and reference articles, biographies, videos, animations, historical features, educational tools, and activities. Students will learn about research skills needed to complete research projects, including the planning process, evaluating sources, and creating citations. Students will also learn how to use MyResearch, which allows them to save all their research. Students can also create timelines to make their social study projects sparkle with 21st-century options. The biography centre will help students research famous Canadians and inspiring people. Surf the Ages website is for ancient civilizations research. Quizzes and activities are made easy for teachers and students to access. In the Headlines provides a history feed from news of the day.

World Book Discover (Grades 3-9)

World Book Discover is a collection of resources for differentiated learning, including read-aloud, text translation, video, and easy-to-read information. This resource supports students who need additional support with research articles, tools, and multimedia and interactive videos. There is also a life skills component to help students build financial literacy and health education skills.

World Book Advanced (Grades 9-12)

World Book Advanced gives students access to refined optimized searching of encyclopedias, multimedia, eBooks (including Shakespeare and Dickens, library, and other classics), and primary source databases. It also includes research tools such as dictionaries, atlas, and research guides with bibliographical citation builders. Students have the ability to create individual accounts, save their content, create timelines, and develop citations in MLA format. Primary and secondary sources are covered in all databases. The Pathfinders feature helps students research popular topics and links to media, biographies, government, and history.

World Book Timelines (K-Grade 12)

World Book Timelines is optimized for tablets and offers hundreds of pre-generated timelines across eight broad topics, which cover various time periods in history or span the life of historical public figures. Featuring more personalization and customization options than any other World Book site, World Book Timelines allows users to create their own timeline from scratch, adding events, descriptions, and media. 

L’Encyclopédie Découverte (Grades 8-12)

L'Encyclopédie Découverte offers students a colourful engagement in the French language. Categories include: People, Exploring the World, Science and Math, Religions of the World, Plants and Animals, History, Arts and Literature, and Sports and Hobbies. Rich with images and engaging activities, L'Encyclopédie Découverte gives students added value and experience alongside their French language studies. This site is for students who are already fluent in French and is not meant to be a language-learning resource.

Logging In

There are two steps to log in to World Book.

Step 1: Navigate to BC Digital Classroom, then select the icon for the World Book resource you wish to access.

Step 2: Enter the username and password for World Book from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal.

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Navigation & Use

Select the video below to watch a short overview of World Book Online.

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World Book Online Video Tutorials is a collection of brief video tutorials to help familiarize users with the resources available on World Book.

Saving Your Research

World Book allows students to set up their own “My Research” page for saving their work. Click the hamburger menu (three lines) at the top right corner to access.

Next, select “My Research” from the navigation options.

Finally, select “Create an Account” to set up your folder with your username and password.


Users can now save a WorldBook article to their "My Research" page by selecting the "Tools" setting in the upper right corner of the article.

World Watch News

World Watch News (Grades 7-12) contains current news stories from Christian journalists through engaging 10-minute episodes, airing each weekday. This platform invites students to build news literacy, critical thinking, and Biblical discernment. Students are reminded daily that “whatever the news, the purpose of the Lord will stand.”

This subscription is not available to HCOS Registered students.

Logging In

Navigate to World Watch News, then enter the username and password for World Watch News from the Subs/Passwords tab in the Search Portal. (Use your Encom username and password to log in.)

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Navigation & Use

Download the World Watch News app on your preferred streaming service.

World Watch News uses Vimeo to play videos. If your content blocker is not allowing you to view their pages, you may need to add Vimeo as a trusted site.

If you would like to receive daily email reminders, scroll to the bottom of the home page and select “Add an email address” to sign up for automatic emails.