Accidentally on the right track

So, today, when it was time for social studies, I had a massive headache. I didn't have anything special planned to start our new lesson--just doing a KWL chart, vocabulary and then reading through the text. As I stood up in front of my kids, a different idea hit me. I decided to have my kids write what they knew about the topic by themselves. Then I passed out chart paper and had them share and discuss their ideas, and then write down the ideas that they agree on. After that, they shared them all with the class, and we discussed. The whole time, I resisted giving any information, opinions, etc.

Then, I passed out the packets of information on the topic (we don't have textbooks.) The conversations that ensued afterwards were amazing. The kids were flying through the packets, writing down as much information as they could. They were arguing over where Christopher Columbus was from, and why Italy wouldn't pay for his trip and whether or not people really believed the world was flat back then. They were engaged and they were learning and not because they knew something was going to be on a test, but because they had challenged themselves to find the answers and I, frankly, had almost nothing to do with it. It was awesome.