WEP 0033: Play Like a PIRATE

Kelly interviews Quinn Rollins, author of Play Like a PIRATE: Engage Students with Toys, Games, and Comics. Quinn has been a social studies teacher in Granite School District in Salt Lake City since 2004, where he currently serves as the social studies curriculum specialist. Whether teaching children or adults, he believes in engaging students with humor, pop culture, and new perspectives. As a result, he’s been honored to work with the educational programs for the University of Utah, Utah State University, Brigham Young University-Idaho, and Westminster College of Salt Lake City. Quinn has also served as master teacher and mentor for a Teaching American History Grant and for a National Endowment for the Humanities Landmarks of American History Workshop in Chicago, Illinois. In 2011, he received the Utah Council for the Social Studies Secondary Teacher of the Year award. In 2015, he was presented with “Utah’s Best of the West” award at the National Council for the Social Studies conference and the Best Historical Scene and Best Custom Minifigures awards at BrickSlopes 2015, Utah’s LEGO Convention. Quinn loves presenting at local, state, and national conferences. His most popular presentations include student engagement, teaching with pop culture, the literacy of comic books and graphic novels, and using toys to teach. Quinn’s hobbies include designing and playing with toys, doodling in staff meetings, reading comic books, and let’s say “running” to sound like a well-rounded person. He believes cheese is “an enemy to mankind” but won’t say no to pizza. He earned his bachelor’s degrees in History Teaching and German Teaching and his master’s degree in Instructional Design and Educational Technology from the University of Utah. Mentioned in this podcast: Play Like a Pirate www.QuinnRollins.comUnderstanding by Design by Wiggins and McTigheThe Grapes of WrathNational History DayKahootLegosAction FiguresGraphic Novels Play Doh