I'd start with pictures and then discussing what we got and how we might like to change or improve the results. The camera, equipment, exposure triangle, composition, lighting, filters, post, etc. are all means to the end of the resulting image. And for newbies, I fear starting with these could get in the way of taking pictures (which I think is why most of us have cameras and came to photography in the first place). The rest can all be introduced as a result of taking and discussing pictures, deciding how to make them better, trying to do that and seeing the results.

I do this all the time. My most successful approach with nearly all age groups (from teens to old farts), is to set the camera on auto everything and make them go out and take pictures. With the older students I might impose a theme - street photography, circles, rectangles, street lighting, a day at the zoo (both people and animals), dogs in the park, happy faces, cars and motorcycles, rain puddles and reflections, etc etc - just to get them engaged immediately and break the ice for those that are shy and inhibited. Then we discuss what was worked and what didn't and why.

The least effective method is to bore them to death with fundamentals, theory, history, etc etc etc. They are in a class or workshop to learn about their cameras and about their creative muse - so everything must be student-centered. Eventually, after a few rounds of assignments and critique, both mine and each others - then their appetite is ready for more complex and detailed information. I may do an entire workshop without once mentioning fstops, shutter speeds ISO - unless they ask. Then I keep it very very simple - this lets in more light, that lets in less - and so on.

I completely agree with Dick. I start with my students by having them bring in 10 pictures that they like or don't like. We go into a lot of discussion about why they think what they do and what I think as well. One said this made all the difference. Of course we eventually had to get into the fundamentals of the camera and software post-processing tools. But talking about the tools up front before discussing what the person wants in their images can sometimes cause the person to lose interest. My two cents.