The Age of Discovery was a time of exploration and developing new ideas, when Europeans first travelled across the seas to other lands.  In his warm and expressive style, Charles Kovacs tells stories of key European historical figures, from the Crusades to the Renaissance, including Saladin, Joan of Arc, Columbus, Magellan, Queen Elizabeth I and Francis Drake, and draws out the interrelation of world events. This revised edition of a classic text is an engaging resource for teachers and home-schooling parents. This historical period is traditionally covered in Class 7 (age 13-14) of the Steiner-Waldorf curriculum.

The meaning of some of the world's great myths and legends springs to life in this collection of stories, retold here for children. Through the epic adventures of colorful characters--from kings and beggars to gods and demons--the reader may glimpse the ancient wisdom of early humankind. Spanning the centuries from Atlantis to the civilizations of India, Persia, Babylonia, and Egypt, the author portrays human development, from primitive hunters to builders of magnificent cities and the great pyramids. Buddha, Krishna, Rama, Zarathustra, Gilgamesh, Isis, and Osiris are just a few of the lively participants in the unfolding historical narrative.

Charles Kovacs describes various plants, from fungi, algae, and lichens to the lilly and rose families. He demonstrates the parts of each plant and their growth cycles. This invaluable teaching aid is recommended for the Steiner-Waldorf curriculum, classes 5-6 (ages 10-12).

The first part of this book describes the different kinds of rocks, soil and mountains found on our planet, and explores how they came into being. This section deals with the depths of the earth, and the long ages of time. In contrast, the second part examines the heights of our universe, in the movement of the sun, moon and stars. These bodies give us our sense of day, month and year. Throughout, Kovacs links the phenomena he's describing with human experience, how they affect people in different parts of the world. This is a resource for Steiner-Waldorf teachers for Classes 6 and 7 (age 11-13).

A wonderful comparative introduction to animals and humans for children which is written in Charles Kovacs's warm and expressive style. Charles Kovacs taught in Edinburgh so there is a Scottish flavour to the animals discussed in the first half of the book, including seals, red deer and eagles. In the later chapters, he covers elephants, horses and bears. This is a fascinating and engaging resource for teachers and home schoolers which is used in the Steiner-Waldorf curriculum for 9-11 year olds.

This book?written especially for Waldorf teachers?includes stories of the founding of Rome; early battles with Carthage and Hannibal; Julius Caesar and the conquests of Gaul and Britain; Antony and Cleopatra; and the decline and fall under the Huns and the beginning of the "Dark Ages." Ancient Rome is recommended for Steiner-Waldorf curriculum class six (eleven to twelve year-olds).

A retelling of Greek mythology and ancient history as recommended for the Waldorf curriculum class 5-6 (age 10-12). This welcome new edition of Charles Kovacs' classic work Greece: Mythology and History contains legendary stories of mythical heroes and historic figures from the dawn of western civilization. Through the fearless deeds of Heracles, Theseus and Odysseus to the Golden Age of Athens and the conquests of Alexander the Great, the narrative vividly portrays our journey from the mysteries of antiquity to the birth of modern medicine, science and philosophy.

Towards the end of his life, Rudolf Steiner published a series of weekly letters addressed to the members of the Anthroposophical Society. Among them were fourteen letters in which he described the mission of the Archangel Michael, the mighty spiritual being who has accompanied humanity's evolution from primordial times right up to the present day. In this insightful book, Charles Kovacs draws on his knowledge of Steiner's work to provide a deeper understanding of the history and ideas that inform each letter. He shows how the Archangel Michael is the great champion of human freedom in the modern age and how he can help us transcend divisions of national identity to embrace a truly universal view of humanity.

Parsifal (or Sir Percival) was a Knight of King Arthur. His story is told by the troubadours of France and Germany, notably Chretien de Troyes and Wolfram von Eschenbach. The Parsifal story stands between the past age that looked for secrets of the spirit and the coming age that was going to search for the secrets of matter. In this engaging retelling of the legend of Parsifal, Charles Kovacs's critical commentary offers Steiner-Waldorf educators an unrivalled insight into teaching the story of Parsifal and will aid in lesson planning. Based on Kovacs's extensive teachers' notes, this informative book places the Parsifal story in its greater social and historical context. In the Steiner-Waldorf Education curriculum this story is recommended for Class 11 (age 16-17) as a way of introducing world literature and one of the central problems of our time -- the imperative to learn to ask the right questions.

A retelling of the stories of Norse mythology as recommended for the Steiner-Waldorf curriculum Class 4 (age 9-10). It includes myths on Creation, Odin and Mimir, Thor and Thialfi, Idun, Sif and Loki.

In 1908, Rudolf Steiner gave a series of lectures about the 'Book of Revelation.' He showed that the messages to the seven churches and the unsealing of the seven seals should be understood as references to initiation. In this light, the great images of the Apocalypse take on new meaning. As well as being a Steiner-Waldorf class teacher, Charles Kovacs was much in demand as an experienced and insightful lecturer for adults. In this book, he helps us make sense of the apocalyptic imagery, including the four beasts, the four riders, the woman clothed with the sun, and the New Jerusalem. The book is illustrated with Kovacs' own colour paintings.

In 1902 Steiner wrote Christianity as Mystical Fact and the Mysteries of Antiquity, showing the evolutionary development from the ancient mysteries, through the great Greek philosophers, to the events portrayed in the gospels. Steiner saw the Christ event as the turning point in the world's spiritual history -- an incarnation whose significance he saw as transcending all religions. Charles Kovacs brings his deep knowledge of esoteric writings, mythology and Steiner's lectures to give more background and to show how the way for Christianity was prepared in the ancient pre-Christian mysteries of Egypt and Greece. He discusses the symbolic and real events of the gospels, as well as looking at some of the understandings and disputes of the early Christians. The book is illustrated with Kovacs' own colour paintings.

Here is a valuable overview of world history, from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries, including the French, American and Industrial revolutions. Kovacs chooses pertinent stories to create a rich tapestry that shows the development of humankind, from medieval times -- when every person had a fixed place in the social hierarchy -- to the awakening of individuality in modern times. In the Waldorf curriculum, this period of history is usually taught in class 8 (ages 13-14).

The rhythms of the earth can be seen in, for example, the daily cycle of day and night, or in the changing seasons. Rudolf Steiner spoke about how Christian festivals such as Easter, Whitsun and Christmas fitted not just into these patterns, but also into larger cosmic rhythms and, on a smaller scale, human rhythms. In this concise, readable book Charles Kovacs explores the structure of our calendar year and looks in detail at the background to each Christian festival, including lesser-known ones such as St John's Tide and Michaelmas. This book is based on lectures Charles Kovacs originally gave at the Rudolf Steiner School in Edinburgh. Kovacs strove to develop in the children a love and understanding of the seasons in the cycle of the year; parents were keen to be involved too, and asked Kovacs to give a series of lectures on the subject to deepen their own understanding.

This is an overview of human physiology and anatomy, including health and hygiene. A resource for Steiner-Waldorf teachers of Classes 7 and 8 (age 12-14).