Patriot Plaza – Stories of Honor and Dedication – Grades 4-6

Patriot Plaza is an amphitheater and plaza located at the Sarasota National Cemetery featuring large outdoor artworks about the military, family, American history, and one’s own place in the world.  Its themes are:  HONOR SERVICE, INSPIRE PATRIOTISM, and EMBRACE FREEDOM.  Trained Guides will provide a 90-minute tour and a learning activity to groups that visit the plaza.  All of the Guides at Patriot Plaza are veterans or are the family members of veterans. They will share their own stories, as well as describe and discuss the stories that are in each artwork. The artworks are as diverse as our heroes and include bronze sculptures, large mosaics, marble tablets, a global map etched in granite and documentary photographs in this open air museum.

For students in Grades 4-5, Patriot Plaza is the perfect venue for exploring American values while also utilizing reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Students will use primary sources, interpret vocabulary, engage in text complexity, and enhance their writing skills.  The focus is ELA and Visual Art standards.  A Teacher’s Guide provides information and activities for teachers to implement before and after the visit.  A pre-visit  PowerPoint presentation introduces Patriot Plaza to students and provides basic information. A post-visit PowerPoint provides many photos and questions for follow-up discussions and/or writing activities.

There are funds available for buses for students in Grades 4-12.  The tour reservation form will be provided by Cindy Balistreri, Patriot Plaza Tour Manager.  Call or email to book your tour today!