This is a ‘one-shot,’ a short adventure to be played in a single session. A good place to start!

In this adventure, students will join forces as a ragtag band of heroes, (or villains,) to save a group of children from the dangers that live in the forest. The players will face many trials, each of which serves as a chance for cooperation and problem solving, as well as an introduction to D&D as an RPG (role-playing game) system.
From role-play to combat, players will get a taste of how D&D works, and how different character classes serve different roles in the party. In order to streamline set-up and give students a chance to test a new class, students will choose one of twelve pre-made characters, each of which has a short role-playing guide and summary of their powers.
Over the course of two hours, students will encounter many friends and just as many foes, all of whom have a stake in their quest. How the story ends, however, is up to them.
No physical materials will be required, just an internet connection, an online dice roller (or physical dice, if that’s more your style,) and a way to access PDFs! If players would like, they will have the chance to join a Discord server to discuss D&D with fellow students, and hear the first news about one-shot adventures and longer games.
D&D Beyond is a tool I use, and an excellent resource to help students learn about this role playing system. Much of the reference material on the website is free, and an account is not necessary to take part.