Investigation involves formulating questions and finding out about something.
Representation involves describing phenomena to oneself or communicating descriptions or ideas to others. As investigation and representation are undertaken young children involved in real world studies seem inevitably to be developing skills and concepts which are associated with several curriculum subjects at once. Here is an example of the ways in which both investigation and representation were involved in the work of two children studying the disappearance of puddles in the school yard. The description is followed by an analysis of the learning opportunities provided by the teacher and the perspectives offered by different curriculum subjects. Two children are drawing chalk lines around puddles in the school yard and measuring the distance across the puddles in various directions.