JunoJR Learning
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💡 Builder · 6 missions · First edition

Idea-to-Action Studio

Build an editable checklist from fictional notes, review an assistant draft against its source, and measure whether the app helps someone finish a small task.

Browser · Ages 9-10, 11-13, 14-16

Open the first mission →Download starter project ↓

A parent or guardian unlocks the missions. Starter projects use fictional data and require no paid AI key.

Course readiness: Authored draft for educator review and pilot teaching. Starter files are original, self-contained classroom adaptations; classroom timing and age fit have not been learner-tested.

Your project

A notes-to-checklist helper with source references

  • Parse a simple text convention into structured checklist records.
  • Keep human review and source evidence attached to assistant suggestions.
  • Save and export an editable plan using browser-local data.
  • Compare a workflow against a stated, repeatable baseline.

Before you begin

  • Can edit and save a text file with adult support.
  • Can open a local HTML file or a school-hosted copy in a browser.
  • No previous AI account, backend service, or paid API is required.

Materials

  • Computer, browser, and text editor.
  • Download /lab-starters/productivity-apps/index.html.
  • A paper checklist and timer for the comparison experiment.

Your tools

Browser and text editor
Build, inspect, and revise one small app.
An adult downloads /lab-starters/productivity-apps/index.html, saves a working copy named index.html, and opens it in a browser. Reopen or reload after saving edits. If local-file storage is blocked, use an adult-hosted local server; the app itself needs no network.
JR Playground or adult-operated approved assistant
Ask for explanations or compare a suggested revision with observable behavior.
Use only fictional lesson inputs. An adult operates the approved assistant. Every required build has supplied code and works without an AI service.

Your mission sequence

  1. MISSION 1 · 75 MINUTES

    Find the friction in a task

    Observe how raw notes make a simple project harder, then design a more useful checklist.

    Architect skill: Identify a workflow problem before choosing AI features.

  2. MISSION 2 · 75 MINUTES

    Turn labeled notes into records

    Recognize only TODO lines and keep their original line numbers as evidence.

    Architect skill: Transform input without losing where it came from.

  3. MISSION 3 · 75 MINUTES

    Make assistant suggestions prove their source

    Import a supplied or adult-generated draft only when every item points to a matching TODO line.

    Architect skill: Treat a model output as proposed data that needs validation.

  4. MISSION 4 · 75 MINUTES

    Save edits and preserve their context

    Save the source notes and edited checklist together, then load them with honest review reminders.

    Architect skill: Design persistence around the complete user task.

  5. MISSION 5 · 75 MINUTES

    Export something another person can use

    Create a readable text plan with completion marks and source references, and improve keyboard usability.

    Architect skill: Make useful outputs independent of your app.

  6. MISSION 6 · 75 MINUTES

    Measure the helper honestly

    Compare a paper workflow with your app on the same fictional task, then demonstrate the evidence trail.

    Architect skill: Use small experiments to evaluate usefulness.

Learn online

Six 75-minute sessions: 10 minutes predict/design, 40 minutes build, 15 minutes test with evidence, 10 minutes explain and save. One numbered lesson per session.

Plan around 75 minutes per session; pause and revisit at your own pace.

Adult support: Prepare files and tools, operate any AI service, support reading and debugging, and require the learner to explain and test each adopted change.

Build at camp

Five days with 180 planned minutes per day, including project work and group activities. The course outline does not reserve a camp place.

  1. Day 1: Day 1 — Discover and build

    • Run lesson 1, interview a partner using the fictional scenario, and sketch a clearer screen.
    • Use the remaining lab time for pair programming, movement breaks, and saving a checkpoint.

  2. Day 2: Day 2 — Make rules visible

    • Complete lessons 2 and 3 in two 75-minute blocks.
    • Use 30 minutes for a paper prediction game, break, and comparing actual results.

  3. Day 3: Day 3 — Make it useful

    • Complete lesson 4 and swap devices or roles for a usability test.
    • Spend the remaining time on the lesson camp activity, improvement, and a screen-reader or keyboard check.

  4. Day 4: Day 4 — Connect the pieces

    • Complete lesson 5 with facilitator setup ready before the session.
    • Run a challenge station, peer debugging, and capstone preparation.

  5. Day 5: Day 5 — Test and demonstrate

    • Complete lesson 6 and collect rubric evidence.
    • Use the remaining time for rehearsal, a family-facing demo using fictional data, and individual reflection.
Facilitator preparation
  • The three-hour day includes short movement breaks; do not require uninterrupted screen time.
  • Use driver/navigator pairs and rotate every 15 minutes. Keep an individual prediction and explanation from each learner.
  • Bring a known-working teacher copy and preserve a learner checkpoint before replacing functions. The second camp day contains two complete lesson blocks.

Show what you built

Deliver a browser helper that turns labeled fictional notes into a reviewed, editable checklist; validates a supplied assistant draft; saves context and state; and exports a readable plan. Demonstrate usefulness through a small, honestly described comparison.

Faithful transformation
TODO parsing keeps original source lines and ignores facts and empty actions.
Assistant verification
Valid draft accepted; invented task, wrong line, and duplicate rejected.
Useful state and output
Edits and completion survive save/load; exported text contains status and numbered evidence.
Accessible interaction
Build, edit, complete, and export work through keyboard controls.
Measured reflection
Comparison records task, order, time, errors, observation, and a bounded conclusion.

Portfolio badge: Productivity App Architect

Use the rubric with a guardian or mentor and record your evidence in your builder notebook.

Build with care

  • Use fictional people, tasks, places, and records. Do not import family repositories, private photos, health information, or real junior-player records.
  • Store only classroom sample data. Demonstrate the clear-data control before using a shared computer.
  • Any assistant is adult-operated through JR Playground or an approved classroom setup; keep provider credentials out of browser files.

Inspired by our projects

Brainwave
Editable documents, streaming writing assistance, and read-aloud inspired this smaller text-first workflow. The classroom build uses typed fictional notes and supplied drafts; it does not require the source app, audio recording, or a live transcription service.