Objectives In this study, we investigated how project classes that discover and solve local problems based on public data affect the development of data literacy skills in elementary school students.
 Methods After analyzing the needs of instructors and learners by applying the ADDIE model, a 10-session social studies education program for elementary school using public data was developed and two Delphi tests were conducted. In addition, a two-group pretest-posttest experiment was conducted to measure the effects of data literacy on 38 fourth-grade elementary school students in Sejong City.
 Results The experimental group in which students directly searched and analyzed public data showed statistically significant improvement in the data collection area of data literacy competency compared to the control group in which students analyzed data provided by teachers. In addition, the experimental and control groups showed the same improvement in other areas of data literacy except the data collection area.
 Conclusions This social studies education program using public data improved the overall data literacy skills of fourth-grade elementary school students. In addition, compared to the existing teaching method that uses data provided by the teacher, the teaching program in this study can improve some areas of data literacy competency by allowing students to find data on their own in their daily lives and use it to solve problems.