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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 ✅ ❌
Grammarly ✅ ❌
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
  • BrainPOP Français is BrainPOP’s French language learning site for fluent French speakers. (Gr. 4-8)  
  • Discovery Education (K-12)  French or choose "By Subject" then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Trending in World Languages" and filter on the left side for French. 
  • Enchanted Learning (K-3), type "French" into the search bar for French activities.  
  • Gizmos lesson materials in French. 
  • Learn360 (K-12) Navigate here.  Type "French" into the search bar.  Select the “Videos” heading, then choose the resource you want to search.  For example, select "Videos" and then “Browse subjects”.  For French songs, you can choose “Audio,” then choose “Learning Songs,” and under the “World Languages” heading are many French songs.
  • Live It Earth translates the website into French by selecting "FR" from the "EN" drop-down menu at the top right of the page.
  • Teaching Books resources include books in French. Search "French Language."
  • World Book L'Encyclopédie Découverte is the World Book French site. (Gr. 8-12)  It is not meant to teach French to new learners, but is geared to helping those who are already fluent in French.
  • The Search Portal will direct you to French books, CDs, songs, videos, etc., including French teaching helps.
Spanish Resources
  • BrainPOP Español for fluent Spanish speakers. (Gr. 4-8)  Navigate here for Hispanic heritage topics.
  • Discovery Education (K-12)  Choose “Streaming Canada Plus” on the upper left.  Under “Browse by Topic,” find “World Languages,” and choose your grade.
  • Enchanted Learning (Gr. K-3) search "Spanish" for Spanish activities. 
  • Gizmos (Gr. 3-12) lesson materials in Spanish.
  • Learn360 (K-12) search "Spanish."  Under the “Videos” heading, choose “Browse Subjects,” and under “World Languages,” choose "Spanish."  Choose “Audio” Spanish songs and "Learning Songs." Select “World Languages” for many Spanish songs.
  • Our Search Portal will direct you to Spanish resources.
  • Touch-Type Read & Spell (Gr. 3-12) has five spoken typing units under the Subject heading. 
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) and News4Youth and Currents4Kids(closed July and August).

Troubleshooting

  • Always check the Search Portal to make sure that the link, username, and password you are using are up-to-date. 

  • Clear your browser cache, as your computer may have saved a broken link. Type “clear cache” into your search bar and follow the instructions from the drop-down menu for your browser.

  • Check that you are not adding an extra space at the beginning or the end of your username or password. Ensure usernames and passwords are located at the very beginning of the allowed space and that your cursor is right at the end of the password.

  • Check whether your username or password has upper and lowercase letters. Some subscriptions are case-sensitive.

  • Use a different browser to access the subscription. For example, if you usually work in Google Chrome, try using Internet Explorer, Safari, or Firefox.

  • Reboot your computer. Turn everything off, wait thirty seconds, and then turn it on again. Sometimes, waiting a day and then trying it again seems to work!

  • If you are still having trouble, please contact Margaret Basaraba through email or LiveChat. Don’t give up! We promise it will be worth your while! 
  • BrainPOP Français is BrainPOP’s French language learning site for fluent French speakers. (Gr. 4-8)  
  • Discovery Education (K-12)  French or choose "By Subject" then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Trending in World Languages" and filter on the left side for French. 
  • Enchanted Learning (K-3), type "French" into the search bar for French activities.  
  • Gizmos lesson materials in French. 
  • Learn360 (K-12) Navigate here.  Type "French" into the search bar.  Select the “Videos” heading, then choose the resource you want to search.  For example, select "Videos" and then “Browse subjects”.  For French songs, you can choose “Audio,” then choose “Learning Songs,” and under the “World Languages” heading are many French songs.
  • Live It Earth translates the website into French by selecting "FR" from the "EN" drop-down menu at the top right of the page.
  • Teaching Books resources include books in French. Search "French Language."
  • World Book L'Encyclopédie Découverte is the World Book French site. (Gr. 8-12)  It is not meant to teach French to new learners, but is geared to helping those who are already fluent in French.
  • The Search Portal will direct you to French books, CDs, songs, videos, etc., including French teaching helps.
  • BrainPOP Español for fluent Spanish speakers. (Gr. 4-8)  Navigate here for Hispanic heritage topics.
  • Discovery Education (K-12)  Choose “Streaming Canada Plus” on the upper left.  Under “Browse by Topic,” find “World Languages,” and choose your grade.
  • Enchanted Learning (Gr. K-3) search "Spanish" for Spanish activities. 
  • Gizmos (Gr. 3-12) lesson materials in Spanish.
  • Learn360 (K-12) search "Spanish."  Under the “Videos” heading, choose “Browse Subjects,” and under “World Languages,” choose "Spanish."  Choose “Audio” Spanish songs and "Learning Songs." Select “World Languages” for many Spanish songs.
  • Our Search Portal will direct you to Spanish resources.
  • Touch-Type Read & Spell (Gr. 3-12) has five spoken typing units under the Subject heading. 
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