Great post!
We do something similar with the scouts at our winter camp. We did some PWYP with them. We let them know we were taken them into the woods for a "survival" exercise. Once at location, we told them they are now lost in the woods and a storm is coming within 2 hours. They practiced improvised shelter building and fire starting.
They definitely struggled with the shelter, but most were able to do the fire with one match.
_________________________
"I reject your reality and substitute my own..." - Adam Savage / Mythbusters