The MONKEY Did It! The BOOK
VT No 289 I The Wild New Era of Children's Books!
Hello Everyone,
I’ve just finished my latest book.
The Monkey Did It! The BOOK
The Wild New Era of Children's Books Continues!
What happens when an author, me, teams up with AI... and lets a mischievous monkey take over the story? Total chaos, creative freedom and a brand-new genre of children’s storytelling!
This book wasn’t just written, it was imagined, illustrated, formatted and brought to life with video by one creator, using the power of AI.
This Promo video, above, is a sneak peak into what is to come. So keep your eye out for the full Video of the book on my YouTube Channel
The short above showcases the cheeky, fourth-wall-breaking monkey at the heart of it all and gives you a sneak peek into a new kind of book experience.
Great for kids
Great for classrooms
Great for starting conversations about AI and creativity
TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE and start the discussion about AI today.
HERE’S to more amazing adventures.
Check out Virtualteacher.com.au, a one-stop destination for quick creative ideas in the world of AI & Education. Use the YouTube Videos directly in your class & learn along with your students.
Enough of the chat, check out the Amazing Tools & Absolutely Splendid ideas I have to share with you today, in the spirit of
EASIER, MORE PRODUCTIVE
& A WHOLE LOT MORE FUN!
PS
Virtual Teacher is.......... FREE FOREVER
Here's What's on the MENU Today
The Monkey Did It! Is a story that flips, spins and giggles on every page.
HOW DO YOU MAKE A MONKEY TYPE? First the 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐀
OzoBOTS: I love these little Robots
TO DO LIST : Make sure you do!
VT YouTube: Check out theHuman + AI Stories.
Let's create a ripple effect of learning, sharing, and growing together. Pass any good ideas on to colleagues, and encourage them to subscribe to VirtualTeacher for more.
Is a story that flips, spins and giggles on every page.
It’s a whirlwind of “what just happened?!”
A celebration of chaos, curiosity and cereal-fuelled imagination.
I wrote it.
I monkeyed with it.
I tossed in pirates, dragons, shrinking and space cats.
Every twist, every tumble, every surprise?
That was me.
Because when you let a monkey write the story...
ANYTHING can happen.
And probably will.
This book is Human AI Collaboration
What I loved was that I owned the entire CREATIVE Process
Using human-AI collaboration, I can:
Write the story
Create the artwork
Format the book
Produce cinematic video content
…all from one creative mind, powered by smart tools.
Historically, this would’ve taken a team of professionals, now it’s one person with vision and AI at their side.
This new model gives me total creative control and that means big decisions about tone, design, voice, pace, and emotion. It’s wild, it’s exciting and it’s deeply personal.
If you want a peek into the future of storytelling, one where the author actually runs the whole show, take a look at The Monkey Did It!
And YES the book is free to read right now!
So take a look before the MONKEY changes the ending again.
https://www.virtualteacher.com.au/images/TheMonkeyDidIt.pdf
The monkey’s causing chaos… but I’m the one pushing the boundaries.
HOW DO YOU MAKE A MONKEY TYPE?
First the 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐀
Then writing, expanding improving and developing the IDEA
Then adding an arresting image to support the IDEA
Then animating the image to create a video about the IDEA
𝐋𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭.
AI is often seen as fast and easy.
These are not the attributes that work for me.
AI is often time consuming and difficult to get exactly right.
ABOVE is the end result of the Monkey Typing after lots of ideation.
If you want to see what else the Monkey can do
Subscribe to my VT Youtube Channel.
or VT Newsletter
AND you’’ be the first to see the 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨.
𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 to use in whatever way inspires you.
OZOBots
OZOBoT - Love these little robots.
The OZOBOT site has great tutorials and lesson ideas. You can code the OZOBOT in using colour markers or using block coding with OzoBlocky
My reluctant readers loved this activity.
CREATE ADVENTURES AND GAMES FOR OZOBOT TO EXPLORE.
Begin by learning Ozobots simple colour language as you draw mazes, paths, intersections and create entire worlds to explore puzzling playgrounds, fast tracks and intricate labyrinths. with colour markers. I liked the shape tracer 1 & 2 in OzoBlocky.
Plan a Story Map for A Great Explorer
1. Create a story map – plan it out so you know where the robot will stop spin, or speedup.
2. Draw your story map with illustrations and coding in the tracks.
3. Include at least 2 of the following
Tornado: A command to spin around twice at increasing speed, then continue following the line in the same direction.
Zigzag: A command to sway right-left-right-left while moving forward, then continue moving straight.
Spin: A command to spin around twice at a consistent speed, then continue following the line in the same direction.
Win/Exit (Play Again): A command to perform a “success” animation, then continue to follow the line
CHALLENGE
4. Write a script for your story map.
5. Film OZOBOT on your story map and read the script as a voice over.
Above is one of Abel Tasman’s Voyager
STORY MAPS FOR INSPiRATION
Virtual Teacher Ozobot Playlist - 20 videos made by students
OzoBot Project, Baby Snail Story (1m), Alligator Story Narrated (1m),
Pirate Story Narrated (1.42)
WATCH
OZOBOT Promo
OZOBOT Engineering in 3D
TO DO LIST
Curiosity New Currency for Education - GREAT QUESTIONS Spark our curiosity and sense of wonder.
Mysterium Cosmographicum Is a great video for stage 2 and over. For 2D shapes and 3D platonic solid - tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, or icosahedron, a polytope is regular if all of its elements are alike.
Alien Angle Game Great Interactive online game designed to reinforce protractor, angles and angle measure estimation skills.
Ventusky - AMAZING Wind, Rain and Temperature Maps A stunning interactive weather map, unlike any other, it shows real-world conditions. Prepare to be WOWed!
Fable of the School People Once upon a time, the animals decided they must do something heroic to meet the problems of "a new world". So they organised a school. Now with AI we can change the school so the eagles can fly.
12 Rules of Engagement SIMPLE AS ABC - Always Be Cool
VT YOUTUBE
Check out the latest Videos:
Promo of THE MONKY DID IT!
Check out the other HUMAN AI Collaboration Books on my VT YOUTUBE playlist and subscribe so you don’t miss the final ‘THE MONKEY DID IT“ when it’s released.
THANKS FOR READING
I love to hear from you. Leave a comment or just say hi by sending an email to cathy@virtualteacher.com.au If you’re having fun, your students will too.
This Newsletter is not free, despite the misleading advertising above.
The Fee is now due. Each week you must help one colleague on the Internet who has less knowledge than you. HELP THAT PERSON even if you have to visit their classroom or do a little research and get back to them. Trust me, this will help a lot of people get their computer classrooms running better. OK I'm trusting you!!!
The opinions expressed here are purely those of the editor, Cathy Brown. All other small print clauses apply. Such as: Use at your own risk. Nothing in life is guaranteed.
If it doesn't work for you, me send an email and I'll try to figure it out.
Editor: Cathy Brown cathy@virtualteacher.com.au
Before you go I have a question for you:
Would you be interested in learning more about AI and how to integrate into your teaching? Would you like more information about inservice and training?
No need to decide just yet, just email me if you'd like to start the ball rolling. cathy@virtualteacher.com.au or check out the VT AI Consultancy Page.