You don't have to re-invent the wheel unless you're working with just one student. Most of the times, you can leverage off some really good books that address this subject.
What would the approximate rating/strength level of these munchkins be? I'm asking because you're probably looking to make sure that you set a bar high enough for the weakest ones to reach to begin with.
Let me know and I could recommend some really nice books for that level.
Im looking for tips on helping high school chess players