McGinnis Woods Outdoor Classroom Recertified as a Nature Explore Classroom for 2026

McGinnis Woods School is proud to announce that our Outdoor Classroom has been recertified as a Certified Nature Explore Classroom for 2026.

The certification recognizes outdoor learning environments designed to connect children with nature through hands-on exploration, discovery, and play. At McGinnis Woods, our Outdoor Classroom is an active part of the learning experience, giving students opportunities to take lessons beyond the traditional classroom and explore science and the natural world firsthand.

What Is a Certified Nature Explore Classroom?

The Nature Explore Classroom Certification recognizes schools and other organizations that have created thoughtfully designed outdoor spaces that help children develop meaningful connections with nature.

McGinnis Woods' Outdoor Classroom provides students with a dedicated environment for observation, exploration, experimentation, and hands-on learning throughout the school year.

Maintaining the certification requires annual renewal, making our 2026 recertification a reflection of the school's continued commitment to outdoor learning.

Bringing Classroom Lessons Outdoors

Our teachers use the Outdoor Classroom and surrounding natural areas to extend lessons across grade levels and subjects.

For example, third-grade students studying rocks and soil can take their learning outside to observe erosion along the hiking trail, examine soil firsthand, and see how decomposing plants contribute nutrients to the environment.

Did you know that as of today, McGinnis Woods is one of only five Certified Nature Explore Classrooms(opens in new tab) in Georgia?

Experiences like these allow students to connect concepts discussed in class with what they can actually see, touch, investigate, and observe.

Outdoor Learning at McGinnis Woods

The Certified Nature Explore Classroom is part of a broader emphasis on hands-on learning at McGinnis Woods. Students have opportunities to explore the natural world through our Outdoor Classroom and gardens, hiking trail, environmental projects, and classroom activities.

These experiences complement our STEM curriculum by encouraging students to ask questions, make observations, collect information, solve problems, and understand how the concepts they study apply to the world around them.

For families considering a private school in Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Cumming, or the surrounding North Fulton and South Forsyth communities, the Outdoor Classroom is one example of how McGinnis Woods makes learning active and experiential from preschool through middle school.