even more useful info, thanks montanero

I do hope to use the problem solving technique you mentioned as much as possible. Can you give more details about how you did this? I'm imagining, for example, that during the shelter building portion you might present the boys with a need to build a shelter, but with no more resources than what they have on their person, then add a fanny pack with an emergency blanket or two, then a pack with maybe a tarp and lots of cordage? One way I was planning to incorporate this technique was with the water purification. In one scenario, they would just be lost and would have the full use of their pack which included a water filter; in the second scenario, they had taken a fall down a rocky hill, which busted up their water filter too badly to use, but luckily their mess kit was intact and fully usable to boil water; in the third scenario, they lost their pack completely, and had only what was in their PSK (water bag and purification tablets) to purify their drinking water. This approach is also why I've asked for more than just a single weekend camp out to teach this.

You seem to have read my mind about the inexpensive survival kit items. I had every intention of presenting the boys with inexpensive options (like the contractor/garbage bags and inexpensive kit container options) to show them (and their parents) that they can build an effective kit without breaking the bank. I also wanted to show them some upgrade options (like a heatsheet bivvy or a better survival kit container) that are available.

The 10 essentials are a must. The BSA WSMB pamphlet states that their survival kit should start with their ten essentials and build on that. Sadly, I'm not so sure that they carry much in their pockets. One of the main points I hope to get across to the boys is to make sure they have some critical survival gear somewhere on their person during any outdoor activity. I hope to also use plausible and realistic scenarios to drive this point across to the adults in the group, so I won't be as likely to get poo pooed when I ask that carrying the ten essentials and a supplemental PSK be mandatory (i.e. bring it or stay/go back home) for any outdoor activities we do.