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Posted: 8/13/2025 4:35:27 PM EDT
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Twelve weeks, 1 hour class time. I would like to take this in the direction of modern survival instead of the “live off the land” path. I will incorporate some into it and I plan on introducing archery as well. I can’t do gun stuff due to venue. I’d like to ask if anyone would give me ideas on what topics would be good. I could cover way more if the venue would allow. I want to keep their attention. I’m going to cover different bags and food sources to start. Please feel free to give me some areas that you think are important. The age group is middle to high school kids. Thanks for your time! |
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Yes, the context you want to address is extremely important. However, if you've got twelve, one hour slots to fill, it should be possible to easily cover more than one context. If we assume that the most basic survival situation involves finding oneself stuck in the middle of nowhere (car crash/breakdown, hiking injury, aircraft crash, etc.), then I'd suggest the following syllabus: Section #1: how to call for help. You can cover modern satellite text messaging devices, the less modern PLB, the emerging cellular satellite technology, new school stuff (laser pointers, strobes) and the old school methods (fire, smoke, mirrors, whistles, etc.) I'd name this lesson "Stay put and be home for dinner." Section #2: what to do if you've successfully called for help, but help might not arrive until tomorrow because of weather and/or other reasons. This would cover methods of shelter and methods of obtaining water. Subject include "dressing for the crash" or at least having warm stuff with you, shelter from modern bivy sacks to a hole in the ground, hypothermia and how to beat it, multiple methods of making fire, and multiple methods of obtaining water. Explain that food won't be a huge issue for at least a couple or three days. Finally, discuss how physical fitness is the ultimate survival multiplier. Section #3: discuss first aid measures. Subjects to include formal first aid kit contents, and less formal field expedient methods. Primary focus on bleeding control, treating shock, treating hypothermia, and splinting and protection of orthopedic injuries (breaks, sprains, etc.). Section #4: what to do if you have to move because calling for help failed or the location is dangerous. Assuming no map, discuss compass use and how to follow land features that are likely to lead to civilization. Section #5: getting home, or to a viable bug-out location, and why this might be the best choice in the event of a natural disaster or civil disturbance. Mostly this is a discussion of the contents of a "get home/bug-out" bag. Section #6: stay home, bug-in preparations, and why staying may be the best choice. To include spare med's, food, power, water, etc. |
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I’m going to try to approach it in a grid down context. As far as background… country raised, outdoorsman. Usa archery level two instructor, f class competitor, years of animal husbandry resource conservation school. Prepper extraordinaire  Plus i’ve taught this before, but approaching it from a pioneer/explorer standpoint. Just trying to adapt it for a more modern situation. |
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Just some basic ideas that may need refinement or adaptation to the audience: Water purification. Shelter. Fire. Food sources. Clothing/footwear. First Aid. Hypothermia signs and abatement. Canning (if bugging in) prior to an event. I like the go bag/ghb lesson. Having cash, trade, barter items. Being debt free is a huge prep for numerous situations. |
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1. Water - how to find, store and purify water 2. Shelter- how to build different shelters and how to select good areas for a shelter 3. Medical - basic first aid kits, how to apply said first aid items. Natural and organic medicinal plants. 4. Heat - how to build a fire, how to start a fire, how to properly put out a fire 5. Food - how to forage, plant/berry/mushroom identification. Maybe some trapping information if applicable I would cover compass and map reading. GPS units. Emergency beacon devices. Stuff like that would be optimal for most survival situations I would think. |
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Grid down topics of discussion Importance of a group or network of trusted people to work with. Maybe talk about making friends with the people who are like minded and have a variety of skills. Maintaining awareness of what’s going on inside and outside the local area. Maybe talk about radio monitoring or something. Working, cooking, etc. safely because if it’s grid down medical help is probably going to be a problem. Sanitation I.e. how to take a poo, pee and keep yourself and your dishes clean so you don’t get sick. Basic medical, first aid and stop the bleed. Maintaining core body temp hot or cold weather - shelter, clothing and fire Water procurement and sanitation Noise and light discipline. Food storage, procurement and preparation. Power generation, solar, batteries. Basic improvisation and repair, think sewing and how to fashion basic things, make repairs, make a spoon from wood, etc. At the end of the course maybe have a handout with resources they can check out like online library’s, recommended books or other sources of reliable information. |
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| Thanks for the thoughtful replies. I think the kids will enjoy it more with the more modern approach. We’ve done foraging and fire building stuff in the past. I was an assistant to a guy that tried to teach a program with a three page handout and I decided that I would never be “that” guy. I make sure that the class is hands on and fun. They’ll get more from an update to the class. Thanks again! |
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You need to go way more basic than you are thinking. What is the essence of 'survival' that applies to any scenario? Pain point: have them go home, and turn the main breaker, water tap, car and cellular off for just 3 hours. Give them a couple of basic things to accomplish like, determine why is their power off? How long can they sustain anything with what is in their immediate grasp? Then, come up with three scenarios based on their locality that could credibly place them in that position. Later, have them inject something like a basic injury that generally would be a trip to an ER, and see how that shifts their calculus. I have found it is impossible to impress resilience onto people that have never really been without. |
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#1 How to build a fire. Kids rarely know how to build one. Get good wood, tinder, kindling, firewood. Have all this ready BEFORE you teach them #2 #2 How to start a fire. There is no such thing as cheating. Matches, lighters, etc. How to use a map (and maybe compass). How to build a basic and then not so basic shelter. First Aid. Knots (bowline and truckers hitch/double prusik at the minimim). |
I dont think this is a brains type of operation.
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Originally Posted By high_order1: You need to go way more basic than you are thinking. What is the essence of 'survival' that applies to any scenario? Pain point: have them go home, and turn the main breaker, water tap, car and cellular off for just 3 hours. Give them a couple of basic things to accomplish like, determine why is their power off? How long can they sustain anything with what is in their immediate grasp? Then, come up with three scenarios based on their locality that could credibly place them in that position. Later, have them inject something like a basic injury that generally would be a trip to an ER, and see how that shifts their calculus. I have found it is impossible to impress resilience onto people that have never really been without. This is a very good exercise. I’m an advocate for doing a ‘Lights (Power) Out’ weekend, every so often, AND doing them in different seasons (at the very least, trying one in the Summer and one in the Winter). 3 hours is a good start to get you thinking. A weekend will quickly start to reveal issues and inadequacies. If you start doing them when kids are young, you can make it fun. If you try to start when they’re older, it’ll likely be an, “Ugh… dad’s off his rocker” reaction. The SO’s mentality matters, too. Most people don’t even consider how they’ll stay warm, or stay fed in a widespread cold weather power outage. Just as many have no idea how to handle a hot weather outage. Both matter in OH. I didn’t have any significant issues from the cascading 2003 Northeast blackout. Pretty sure OH was in the area of effect, and it demonstrates how widespread something could be (i.e. severely impacts the, “We’ll just go to a hotel on the other side of town until the power is back” option). For bugging in; this is still one of the best threads I’ve ever read. It brought up some things I’D never even considered in a longer term interruption of utilities (eg. Trash/waste). RIP Sub_Umbra  https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/an-emergency-water-epiphany.121453/ |
| How to read a paper map for both city and country. Then as an exercise give them maps of both and have them plan in detail a route and alternate route from a distant location to their home. Have them demonstrate their route to the class. |
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There are some great ideas here. Thank you all. Could I ask if people would help me find the 72 hour bag checklists from different countries please? I am going through emergency preparedness and would like to highlight some differences based on region. The eu said that they were going to make some guidelines to standardize the items for your bags, but I can’t find a finished list. I appreciate all of the help so far! |
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Left cold Sweden https://www.msb.se/sv/publikationer/om-krisen-eller-kriget-kommer-pa-engelska/ Germany https://www.bbk.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Mediathek/Publikationen/Buergerinformationen/Ratgeber/ratgeber-englisch-disasters-alarm.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=12 |
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Originally Posted By machinegunseabee: Left cold Sweden https://www.msb.se/sv/publikationer/om-krisen-eller-kriget-kommer-pa-engelska/ Germany https://www.bbk.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Mediathek/Publikationen/Buergerinformationen/Ratgeber/ratgeber-englisch-disasters-alarm.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=12 Thank you! Those will definitely help! |
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Might make sense to talk to folk who helped North Carolina with the disaster: what skill sets made someone useful for the recovery operation? So being an internally displaced person who has essential skills means you have a better chance of getting “hired” to help out with recovery. Comms, medical, basic construction… |
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Originally Posted By Mindfull: 1. Water - how to find, store and purify water 2. Shelter- how to build different shelters and how to select good areas for a shelter 3. Medical - basic first aid kits, how to apply said first aid items. Natural and organic medicinal plants. 4. Heat - how to build a fire, how to start a fire, how to properly put out a fire 5. Food - how to forage, plant/berry/mushroom identification. Maybe some trapping information if applicable I would cover compass and map reading. GPS units. Emergency beacon devices. Stuff like that would be optimal for most survival situations I would think. All the above. Add: 6. Sanitation 7. Security 8. Communications |
I know I'll never go home.
So set fire to your ships, and past regrets, and be free.
So set fire to your ships, and past regrets, and be free.