Man, you are in big trouble! This is exactly how it starts off. After you do this, you'll stay up late criticizing yourself and planning how to do it differently the next time. You won't even hesitate the next time you get asked... welcome to the world brotherhood of scouting...

Is this a bunch of kids in Scouts Canada? If so, you have some different rules and guidelines than BSA - neither good nor bad, but stick to the SC guidelines instead of the BSA ones.

Lots of hands-on and as much personal time with the individual scouts as you can manage. You already have a super-list (as in good-but-too-many-things) to work off of in the time available. I have a FEW suggestions for you:

1. Have fun and make it fun for the scouts.

2. Right up front, cut your class size in half - make them form buddy teams and stick to that theme the entire weekend. No Aaron Ralstons. If you want, you can then form "crews" of 2 buddy teams - which works out to about 1/2 a patrol. It would be nice to use their organic patrols, but at that age... it will not work.

3. LOTS of coached hands-on. I like our (BSA) current paradigm: E.D.G.E. - Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable... pretty self-explanatory, but many scouters get stuck on E.D. and neglect G.E.

4. Scouts have GREAT imaginations (they are kids) - make up an adventurous scenario for the weekend (a story - fiction) about where they are, what the circumstances are, etc. Tell it right off the bat, reinforce all the time; stay in character and keep them in character - of course, be safe and reasonable - they will really get into it and play their roles. You do not have to get overly detailed - it's not a movie script. Best way for kids to learn... we often forget that as adults. Make it play, not work.

5. It's a lot more meaningful to build an expedient shelter if one is actually going to use it... ditto boiling up a mug (and starting that fire), and so forth. Coaching them all through actually doing things will soak up enormous amounts of time - be prepared to sacrifice "events" if that's what it takes to actually teah them 2 - 4 skills rather than rushing them through a dozen things they don't have time to digest, let alone DO. Plan plenty and execute according the the situation as it develops - you will have a great feel for this after one or two iterations (see opening comments...)

6. Really pound (all the time) on having the essentials on/with them at all times - and be a little more open minded than, say, BSA official "lists" - time, terrain, weather, mission, resources available, etc. Then help them out early on - have them build personal fire starting kits (ye olde Altoid tins work great) they get to keep or 55 gallon 3-6 mil garbage bags (e.g. rain gear, shelter, wind shell, etc.) they get to keep, make a roll of 6'-8' of orange flagging to keep; cordage (they never have enough), etc - idea is they take some THINGS away besides memories. You can do a LOT with little expense for a large number of scouts if you think it through first, plan ahead, and prepare (Hey! First principle of LNT!).

That's plenty to consider, so I'll stop with one last thing: HAVE FUN!

Regards,

Tom - still a BSA Scouter (roped in like you) and dad of 3 Eagle Scouts.