Online Learning Resources

Committed to providing quality educational choices, HCOS subscribes to a number of online learning resources. Below is a short description of the many educational resources available to our students this year.

United Streaming

Heritage Christian Online School is offering students a subscription to United Streaming at no cost.  This online video library contains more than 5,000 full length educational videos.  It has Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, Magic Schoolbus, Bill Nye, and much, much more.  You can search through the library easily to find what you’re looking for.  This is a great supplement to every student’s education.  There are videos covering a huge variety of topics in arts and music, science, language arts, health, and social studies from grades K through 12.   Check out www.unitedstreaming.com for more information.  If you would like a subscription please email your teacher for sign-up information.

Encyclopedia Britannica

http://newsletter.onlineschool.ca/archive/images/eb.gifWe have now subscribed all of our students and families with the Encyclopedia Britannica- Online. Please contact your support teacher for your login and password.

Enchanted Learning

All HCOS students and families have access to Enchanted Learning, a safe, family friendly educational site with over 20,000 pages of resources! Please contact your support teacher for your login and password.

netTrekker

A safe educational search engine is now available from HCOS through netTrekker. This trusted search engine provides peace of mind to families as their child searches the net for online resources. The search engine is organized by readability and grade level and is even aligned to the provincial outcomes. Contact your support teacher for a username and password.

Town-to-Town Canada

HCOS’ subscription with “Town-to-Town Canada” provides middle and high school students with information on Canadian civic and public affairs. It link students to web sites “relating to government, law, education, social economics, current events, public policy, and living and culture.”  Please contact your support teacher for a username and password.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

WHAT IN THE WORLD? is a Canadian current events resource covering events and issues with geography. It is designed for students in the intermediate grades and is available in English and French. Contact your support teacher to request monthly links and passwords which will connect you to each new issue. 

TeachingBooks

Explore award winning youth books and their authors. HCOS provides you with access to thousands of resources and multimedia programs through its online subscription with TeachingBooks. Short movies, audio book readings, and book discussion guides are some of the rich learning resources available through this subscription. Contact your support teacher for a username and password.

YourTeacher

YourTeacher.com is an online multimedia math resource for Middle and High school students. Each lesson includes video examples, interactive practice, and self tests. Through HCOS school subscription you will receive a year’s access to Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, or Algebra 2 for only $25. Please contact your support teacher to receive a personal username and password, and arrange payment from your curriculum budget.

“Reading A to Z” and “Writing A to Z”

Finding reading and writing learning resources is now just a click away! HCOS is offering access to “Reading A to Z” and “Writing A to Z” resources at a discounted price. “Reading A to Z” has thousands of printable learning resources that support guided reading, phonemic awareness, reading comprehension, reading fluency, and alphabet and vocabulary learning. These professionally developed resources included downloadable ‘levelled’ books, lesson plans, worksheets, and reading assessment material. The “Writing A to Z” site provides hundreds of downloadable writing resources which include “core writing lessons grouped by genre and text type; mini-lessons targeting key writing skills; and writing tools for organizing and improving writing.” The resources are designed for K-6 learning level. These resources will save you time and money as you search for a resource specific to your child’s reading and writing ability. Through HCOS school subscription you will receive a year’s access to these excellent resources for only $25 each. Please contact your support teacher to arrange payment from your curriculum budget and to receive a username and password.

Volume 4 - Edition 6 - March 2008

Spritual Learning Outcomes

Greg Bitgoodby Greg Bitgood

Hello fellow educators, 

Welcome to podcast #7. I have been greatly blessed by some of the stories and encouragement you have shared with me via email in how this program has been a blessing to you. While supplies last we will continue to send out a free copy of my book, Discipling the Generation for a Digital World, to those that write in. I will have the details at the end of the podcast. 

Last week we talked about the power and perspective that well defined and God directed goals can give to your home and school. I introduced the first step towards involving the Holy Spirit in this process which was praying the Apostolic prayers from Ephesians 1:17-20, Colossians 1:9-12 and Philippians 1:9-11. Of course, there are many other ways to pray and many other Biblical prayers. For example I didn’t mention another very important prayer in Ephesians 3:16-20 or the Lord’s prayer. I chose these three because they specifically lead us into the knowledge and discernment necessary for establishing Godly vision and goals. 

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HCOS Curriculum Package Update: The Easy French

Sarah Bennettby Sarah Bennett

The Easy French by Marie Filion is our recommended French resource for grades 5 through 9 in our curriculum packages.  They have recently added a new format to their curriculum and we will be including the new format in our curriculum packages.  The content is the same, but the new format is designed to be easier to use with grammar exercises and other activities integrated right in the book.  The new format means you won’t have to create a French binder and print off all of the activity sheets.  Instead, the book is consumable and students have everything they need right at their fingertips.  The new format also contains a new set of stories designed to appeal to older students. 

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Spring is in the Air!!

by Shandra Wiebe

At the HCOS Library we are always striving to make the science kits, books and homeschool resources a blessing to your family.  That is why we have a new return policy.  Canpar will now pick up your orders of books and kits for return – at no cost to you!  When you are done with your books and kits all you need to do is package them well and e-mail me. I will make arrangements for Canpar to pick them up from your home.  This will not include books that can be mailed by regular lettermail.  We hope you find this service convenient and a blessing to your homeschooling efforts!

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What's that Lord?

by Tony Woodlief

A few days ago, as my wife and I hunched over our computer, uneasily assessing its recalcitrant rumble, we became attuned to the sound of surreptitious munching from the kitchen. It was our three year-old, Isaac, of course, who must not — under any circumstances — be left alone in the kitchen. “Isaac!” called my wife. “It’s time to stop snacking. We’re going to eat dinner soon.”

“What?” It was a thin and disingenuous reply.

“I said stop snacking!”

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It’s just about that time of year...

Sarah Bennettby Sarah Bennett

Time to start thinking about planning for next year.  I was over at a friend’s house yesterday and she was busy thinking about what resources to use for next year.  I am usually a very early planner and have exhaustive lists of resources for each child compiled by this time of year, but I happen to be right in the middle of a move right now.  Having a baby is easier than moving to a different house.  And somehow, moving overseas was much easier than moving across town.  I’m hoping to eventually unpack enough boxes so that I can actually get into my homeschool room but right now my priority is unpacking the kitchen so that I can feed my kids something other than pizza. 

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BC CHEC Registration Now Open!!!

BC CHEC 2008 Registration is now open.  Consider this a professional development weekend for mom and dad.  You will be inspired and encouraged in many areas of your homeschooling journey.  If you have funds remaining in your enrollment allotment, you may apply them to the registration fees for BC CHEC.  Just choose the PO option in the Payment window of the online form and enter your PO number when prompted.  HCOS can only cover fees for parents and enrolled students, so if you plan to register children who are not enrolled (e.g. infants or preschoolers), you must pay those fees yourself (contact Donna Perret at dperret@onlineschool.ca for further instructions).  Register early to take advantage of earlybird rates and to ensure you get into the workshops you want!  Register at: BC CHEC

ABC/ James Scripture Memory Challenge

Committing the Scriptures to memory, implanting God’s Word in your heart is worth more than mere words can express!  We appreciate all the time and effort you are taking to help your student reach his/ her goal set in the ABC/ James scripture memory challenge.  Recently at a home school support group, a retired Christian school teacher and former home educator, spoke about the importance of God’s Word and Prayer.  Although must of us know that fact, it was a refreshing reminder that through her experience, it was not the curriculum choice which has made the greatest impact on her children’s lives; rather, it was the times spent in memorizing Bible verses along with family prayer times and devotionals.

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