diff --git a/backend/app/Controllers/ElementController.php b/backend/app/Controllers/ElementController.php
index 2e44931..0e71cea 100644
--- a/backend/app/Controllers/ElementController.php
+++ b/backend/app/Controllers/ElementController.php
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class ElementController
             $childElements[] = [
                 'id' => $childElement->getId(),
                 'title' => $childElement->getTitle(),
+                'description' => $childElement->getDescription(),
             ];
         }
 
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ class ElementController
             'element' => [
                 'id' => $element->getId(),
                 'title' => $element->getTitle(),
+                'description' => $element->getDescription(),
             ],
         ], 200);
     }
diff --git a/backend/app/Element/CreateElementDto.php b/backend/app/Element/CreateElementDto.php
index b815300..3bad829 100644
--- a/backend/app/Element/CreateElementDto.php
+++ b/backend/app/Element/CreateElementDto.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ class CreateElementDto
     public function __construct(
         public Set $set,
         public string $title,
+        public string $description,
         public ?Element $parentElement,
     ) {
     }
diff --git a/backend/app/Element/Element.php b/backend/app/Element/Element.php
index 143df26..7f007ce 100644
--- a/backend/app/Element/Element.php
+++ b/backend/app/Element/Element.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ class Element
     public function __construct(
         private int $id,
         private string $title,
+        private string $description,
         private Set $set,
         private ?Element $parentElement,
     ) {
@@ -24,6 +25,11 @@ class Element
         return $this->title;
     }
 
+    public function getDescription(): string
+    {
+        return $this->description;
+    }
+
     public function getSet(): Set
     {
         return $this->set;
diff --git a/backend/app/Element/ElementModel.php b/backend/app/Element/ElementModel.php
index 119d287..4f79f3b 100644
--- a/backend/app/Element/ElementModel.php
+++ b/backend/app/Element/ElementModel.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
  * @property int $id
  * @property int $set_id
  * @property string $title
+ * @property string $description
  * @property int|null $parent_element_id
  *
  * @method static Builder<static>|ElementModel newModelQuery()
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
  * @method static Builder<static>|ElementModel whereParentElementId($value)
  * @method static Builder<static>|ElementModel whereSetId($value)
  * @method static Builder<static>|ElementModel whereTitle($value)
+ * @method static Builder<static>|ElementModel whereDescription($value)
  *
  * @mixin \Eloquent
  */
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ class ElementModel extends Model
     protected $fillable = [
         'set_id',
         'title',
+        'description',
         'parent_element_id',
     ];
 
diff --git a/backend/app/Element/EloquentElementRepository.php b/backend/app/Element/EloquentElementRepository.php
index 350e37a..7b7065a 100644
--- a/backend/app/Element/EloquentElementRepository.php
+++ b/backend/app/Element/EloquentElementRepository.php
@@ -17,12 +17,14 @@ class EloquentElementRepository implements ElementRepository
         $model = ElementModel::create([
             'set_id' => $dto->set->getId(),
             'title' => $dto->title,
+            'description' => $dto->description,
             'parent_element_id' => $dto->parentElement?->getId(),
         ]);
 
         return new Element(
             id: $model->id,
             title: $dto->title,
+            description: $dto->description,
             set: $dto->set,
             parentElement: $dto->parentElement,
         );
@@ -102,6 +104,7 @@ class EloquentElementRepository implements ElementRepository
         return new Element(
             id: $model->id,
             title: $model->title,
+            description: $model->description,
             set: $set,
             parentElement: $parentElement,
         );
diff --git a/backend/app/Element/UseCases/CreateElement/CreateElement.php b/backend/app/Element/UseCases/CreateElement/CreateElement.php
index 9b32cd7..1cb4b37 100644
--- a/backend/app/Element/UseCases/CreateElement/CreateElement.php
+++ b/backend/app/Element/UseCases/CreateElement/CreateElement.php
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class CreateElement
         if ($request->title === null || $request->title === '') {
             throw new BadRequestException('title is required');
         }
+        $description = $request->description ?? '';
 
         $set = $this->setRepo->find($request->setId);
         if ($set === null) {
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ class CreateElement
             return $this->elementRepo->create(new CreateElementDto(
                 set: $set,
                 title: $request->title,
+                description: $description,
                 parentElement: null,
             ));
         }
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ class CreateElement
         return $this->elementRepo->create(new CreateElementDto(
             set: $set,
             title: $request->title,
+            description: $description,
             parentElement: $parentElement,
         ));
     }
diff --git a/backend/app/Element/UseCases/CreateElement/CreateElementRequest.php b/backend/app/Element/UseCases/CreateElement/CreateElementRequest.php
index eef7e7e..b028326 100644
--- a/backend/app/Element/UseCases/CreateElement/CreateElementRequest.php
+++ b/backend/app/Element/UseCases/CreateElement/CreateElementRequest.php
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ class CreateElementRequest
     public function __construct(
         public ?int $setId,
         public ?string $title,
+        public ?string $description,
         public ?int $parentElementId,
     ) {
     }
diff --git a/backend/database/migrations/2026_05_26_000000_add_description_to_elements_table.php b/backend/database/migrations/2026_05_26_000000_add_description_to_elements_table.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..704311b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/database/migrations/2026_05_26_000000_add_description_to_elements_table.php
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
+
+return new class extends Migration
+{
+    public function up(): void
+    {
+        Schema::table('elements', function (Blueprint $table) {
+            $table->text('description')->default('');
+        });
+    }
+
+    public function down(): void
+    {
+        Schema::table('elements', function (Blueprint $table) {
+            $table->dropColumn('description');
+        });
+    }
+};
diff --git a/backend/database/seeders/ElementSeeder.php b/backend/database/seeders/ElementSeeder.php
index 68ee7b9..b356df9 100644
--- a/backend/database/seeders/ElementSeeder.php
+++ b/backend/database/seeders/ElementSeeder.php
@@ -17,16 +17,20 @@ class ElementSeeder extends Seeder
         $rootElement = $elementRepository->create(new CreateElementDto(
             set: $baderechSet,
             title: $baderechSet->getName(),
+            description: $baderechSet->getDescription(),
             parentElement: null,
         ));
         $elementRepository->create(new CreateElementDto(
             set: $baderechSet,
             title: 'Avodah Foundations',
+            description: 'Core foundations for building a steady '
+                . 'avodah practice.',
             parentElement: $rootElement,
         ));
         $elementRepository->create(new CreateElementDto(
             set: $baderechSet,
             title: 'Daily Practice',
+            description: 'Practical steps for consistent daily growth.',
             parentElement: $rootElement,
         ));
     }
diff --git a/backend/tests/Fakes/FakeElementRepository.php b/backend/tests/Fakes/FakeElementRepository.php
index b16be7f..09acc9d 100644
--- a/backend/tests/Fakes/FakeElementRepository.php
+++ b/backend/tests/Fakes/FakeElementRepository.php
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ class FakeElementRepository implements ElementRepository
         $element = new Element(
             id: $id,
             title: $dto->title,
+            description: $dto->description,
             set: $dto->set,
             parentElement: $dto->parentElement,
         );
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ class FakeElementRepository implements ElementRepository
         return new Element(
             id: $element->getId(),
             title: $element->getTitle(),
+            description: $element->getDescription(),
             set: $element->getSet(),
             parentElement: $parentElement,
         );