5 Ways to Build Background Knowledge in Elementary Readers

build background knowledge, Reading comprehension strategies, schema in reading

One of the most powerful—but often overlooked—reading comprehension strategies is activating background knowledge. When students bring what they already know into a reading experience, they’re more likely to understand, connect with, and remember what they’ve read. This process of using prior knowledge is often called activating schema—and it’s a game-changer in the elementary classroom.

Why Background Knowledge Matters: The Baseball Study ⚾️

There’s a well-known study in reading education often referred to as “The Baseball Study.” Researchers wanted to understand what mattered more: general reading ability or background knowledge. They gave students a reading passage about baseball, then tested their comprehension.

Here’s what they found:
Students who knew a lot about baseball, even if they were considered weaker readers, scored higher on comprehension than strong readers who didn’t know much about the game.

The takeaway? When students are familiar with a topic, they’re better equipped to understand and retain what they read—even if their decoding or fluency isn’t perfect.

So how can we help all students build the background knowledge they need to succeed, especially in content-heavy subjects like science and social studies?

Here are five teacher-tested strategies you can start using right away:

1. Use Quick Videos or Image Walks

Start your lesson with a short video clip, time-lapse, or slideshow of images related to your topic. Visuals help students form mental models of new concepts—even if they’ve never experienced them before.

Example: Before reading about moon phases, show a time-lapse of the lunar cycle or a diagram with labels.
Extension: Ask students to make predictions based on what they see or jot down what they already know.

Read a Short Related Story or Fable

Stories are an incredible way to build schema—especially when written specifically to introduce academic concepts. I love using fables to spark curiosity and make abstract topics more relatable.

In my Reading Comprehension Fables to Build Background Knowledge on the Solar System, students read imaginative stories where the planets and celestial bodies come to life, each representing a key concept in space science. These short fables activate prior knowledge and boost comprehension skills.

Grab yours here

3. Use a Schema Graphic Organizer

Before diving into a text, help students access what they already know with a simple organizer. One of my favorites is a three-column chart:

🧠 What I Already Know
❓ What I Think I Know
🌟 What I Want to Learn

This activity encourages reflection and primes their brains for learning. Plus, you can revisit the chart after reading to clarify misconceptions.

Freebie Alert: Scroll down to grab a FREE schema graphic organizer + a sample fable passage you can use today!

4. Have a “Turn and Talk” Brain Dump

Give students 1–2 minutes to talk with a partner about what they know on a topic before you introduce the reading. Even simple prompts like “What do you know about the moon?” can activate connections that support comprehension.

💬 Use sentence starters like:

“I remember learning…”
“I think that…”
“My family told me…”

It’s quick, low-prep, and highly effective.

5. Make Cross-Curricular Connections

Don’t keep reading skills and science or social studies separate—blend them! Using content-rich texts during literacy time helps students gain the knowledge they need to succeed in both subjects.

For example, in my Moon Phases Reading Comprehension Passages, students read about each phase of the moon through engaging, standards-aligned passages. They build both science knowledge and comprehension skills at once.

→ Get yours here

This is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to build schema without adding to your prep load.

If we want students to become confident, skilled readers, we have to give them the tools to understand what they’re reading—not just decode it. That starts with building background knowledge.

When students have something to connect the text to—whether it’s a fable, a photo, or a memory from a discussion—their comprehension improves dramatically.

Let’s give them those connections.