Flexible Seating + Storage = Great Combo (Project)

Tomorrow is an exciting day! I am moving into a BRAND NEW SCHOOL! All new chairs, dry erase boards, dry erase kidney tables, cutting edge technology, etc. These things are all amazing, however for this veteran teacher there are some things that make me very nervous. The things I am most nervous about is having little storage space, no traditional style desks and all students having ROLLING CHAIRS!

I have always embraced the idea of "flexible seating" in my classroom. Flexible Seating has become a buzz word in education in recent years. The idea of students sitting where they are comfortable and getting "work done" has always resinated with me. Sounds like I am going to give you tips on how to make Flexible Seating work for you, however that is not what this blog is about today. (Making flexible seating work for you, may come later, once I figure out rolling chairs and 5th graders...)

This blog is about an idea I saw on Pinterest and decided to make and was SUCCESSFUL. I could write an entire blog about my Pinteresting and projects gone wrong.  

So, I saw these cute milk crate storage seats on Pinterest . I just loved the idea of something comfortable to sit on and hold materials! Something also important to me- cute! I love a bright, cute & cheery classroom. These milk crate seats fit the bill.

I looked at several other Pinterest examples, went to YouTube and watched a few videos on how to make them. This project just looked so fun and simple & let me tell you it WAS! The hardest part is cutting the wood.

Here is how my crates turned out. Pretty cute, look like the ones on Pinterest. AWESOME!

(I promise I have more with pops of color. My picture assistant picked those two because those are his favorite colors, today.) 

Then I had an epiphany! What if I added a dry erase board on the underside of these seats? That really makes these milk crate storage flexible seating- MORE flexible for the classroom. I envisioned these seats as holding materials for students as they went somewhere in the classroom to read, write, solve math problems, etc. The idea of using the seats as a study board, whole new level of flexible. 

This could mean the students are working with partners with group projects, peer tutoring, conferring, etc. So, I went into my garage and found my storage box that held dry erase boards and glued dry erase board to the underside of my seats. 

The student can flip the cushion seat over and place the dry erase board in the opening and multiple students can use! Cool right!?!

I mean awesome. Milk Crate Storage Flexible Seating + Dry Erase board. I cannot wait to move these guys into my classroom tomorrow!

  Milk Crate Seating

Milk Crate Flexible Seating (this side is not intended to be sat on!) 

Materials Needed:
Milk Crate with the lip on the inside for hanging files
Ply Wood 1/2 or thicker
Cushion
5/8 yd material (for each board)
Staple gun
Staples
Dry Erase Board
E6000 Glue

Have a good one!
Susan Sunshine