In elementary social studies, two learning styles for addressing social problems have been adopted, namely, formalistic learning aimed at improving individual behavior and activistic learning with no consideration for the feasibility of policy proposals. These approaches would not prompt autonomous policy proposals as children themselves are unaware of the problem at issue. In this study, we clarify the lesson framework of elementary social studies that encourages autonomous policy proposals and verifies its effectiveness through an analysis of class practice. In clarifying the lesson framework, we focus on the process of forming the motive for solving social problems. Motivation is formed by the development of interests, from arousing situational interests to manifesting personal interests, which thereon leads to an active involvement in problem-solving. This study suggests that children could make autonomous policy proposals by understanding the logic of the learner’s interest development as becoming aware of social problems.

　　The significance of this study is expressed in the following two points:

　　The first point is that the formation process of children’s motivation for learning has been clarified. In particular, the process of developing an interest is regarded as the process of becoming aware of social problems. The second point is to clarify the lesson framework that encourages autonomous policy proposals, and the effectiveness of such a structure has been verified. Through a lesson framework that encourages autonomous policy proposals, children gradually develop their interest in social problems and become aware of them. In addition, their reasoning skill will be linked to life experience and the knowledge built during the lesson, thereby enhancing the recognition of value, which will lead to their autonomous policy proposals.

　　This study aims to develop a teaching model for elementary school public learning (6th grade ‘‘the national route 176 Najio bypass and the role of politics’’) that critically incorporates cost–benefit analysis to facilitate understanding of children’s public works projects from an economics perspective.

　One of the goals of the social studies class is to promote social awareness based on the research results of social sciences. Moreover, the learning targets the real world wherein economic activities are conducted in all fields. Therefore, even in elementary school social studies, it is necessary to incorporate the research results of economics accurately into classes and aim to form a social scientific recognition. The 6th-grade public study ‘‘the role of politics in Japan’’ is developed to deal with the role of tax as an economic concept. However, current textbooks primarily cover the types and uses of taxes.

　　Therefore, we developed a teaching model that critically incorporates cost–benefit analysis by using ‘the national route 176 Najio bypass’’ as a teaching material and examined the role of politics related to it. Cost–benefit analysis is an evaluation method to compare the costs and benefits of the public works project and decide whether to execute or cancel the project. By incorporating cost–benefit analysis into political learning, an economic understanding of cost–benefit analysis is added to the traditional one-sided understanding that ‘‘people’s wishes are accepted by the national and local governments and realized through the political process’’ and the formation of social scientific recognition is realized.

　　The significance of this research is expressed in the following two points. The first point is to clarify the structure of elementary school public learning focusing on both the effectiveness and problems of cost–benefit analysis. The second point is to illustrate the calculation process for the benefit and cost, supplement the meanings for difficult terms, and clarify the mean of converting cost–benefit analysis into a tool that even 6th-grade elementary school children can comprehend.