Abstract
As teachers seek to incorporate curriculum that addresses the institutional racial injustice in the United States, it can be difficult to help young adolescents recognize the complexity and nuance that is required for these topics. This culminating experience project seeks to provide tools for educators to facilitate these understandings in the form of literature circles and associated projects. By examining the theoretical foundations of this topic such as Critical Race Theory, Critical Literacy, and Multicultural Young Adult Literature as well as reviewing best practices, this project will then develop a methodology and reflection on a handbook for teachers to employ in their classrooms to engage middle school students in critical reflection of race-conscious texts as they connect to societal manifestations of institutional racism.