Primary and Middle School English Department: Poetry in Play-Shanghai High School International Division

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Primary and Middle School English Department: Poetry in Play

October 20, 2025

On Tuesday 30th September, the SHSID Middle and Primary School English department came together to host a vibrant poetry event celebrating creativity, play, and the joy of language. The day invited students to see poetry not only as something to read and analyse, but also as something to play with.

In Poetry Mad Libs, students experimented with words and structure, discovering how unexpected combinations could create humour and surprise. Poetry Jenga added a physical twist, challenging participants to carefully balance blocks while simultaneously building lines of verse filled with vivid diction and evocative imagery.

Other highlights included Roll-a-Dice Poetry, which encouraged students to apply figurative and poetic devices in playful, unpredictable ways, and Colour Poetry, where students used shades and tones to guide their writing, linking colour with emotion and self-expression.

Through creative game design, the teachers spark students' imagination and expression. It opens doors to play and connection, as well as providing students with an enjoyable and relaxed environment in which to strengthen their English skills. Enrichment activities like these plant in students' hearts the seeds of a love for poetry and language— seeds that will one day take root, grow, and blossom into something truly beautiful.

(Written by Edward Key, Carrie Mao

Pictures by Carrie Mao

Reviewed by Bo Hu, Shiyu Wu, Grace Gilmore)