What is the industry standard for the exchange of data and power between electronics? 

Union Middle School students may have learned USB stands for Universal Serial Bus, which connects computers with its displays, keyboards and storage devices and that the term “bus,” short for “omnibus” in computer slang means something that connects to devices.

This nugget of learning took place during Union Middle’s lunchtime STEAM week activities when students answered questions to play STEM Bingo. Each day represented a different learning skill or question where students would scan codes on posters to participate.

“Our parents wanted more STEM activities, so we came up with simple questions interesting to middle school students in hopes it would spark an interest,” Union PTSA President Debbie Norr said. “We also wanted them to understand STEAM was fun.”

Students took part in activities, such as on technology day, for example, they tried out the green screen—even getting their photos with Rickroll sensation Rick Astley. On engineering day, students built towers with toothpicks and marshmallows and they also participated in a math bee. They learned about robotics from Hillcrest High’s robotics team’s demonstration of several robots.

“They also had two drones that flew around in the lunchroom and the kids thought those were pretty cool,” she said.

Union’s PTSA student club meets monthly and will be planning activities for next school year; this year, they’ve learned about the legislature while visiting the capitol and have performed community service projects.