科学教科书是科学课程开展的重要依托，也是教学过程必不可少的教育资源。而插图是科学教科书的重要组成部分，其同样是具有教育功能的知识载体。插图不仅可以有效帮助学生理解和记忆知识点，还能激发他们的学习兴趣。插图在教科书中发挥着不可替代的作用，它的质量影响着受众的接受度和教科书的教学效果。

研究在梳理了国内外关于插图的认知理论、影响插图阅读效果的因素及教科书插图分析等研究的基础上，采用文献分析、内容分析的研究方法，对《剑桥小学科学》教科书插图进行了较为全面系统的分析。研究主要包括以下三个方面：

一是对剑桥版小学科学教科书图形的分析。研究在斯洛夫（Slough)等人开发的图形分析程序（Graphical Analysis Protocol，GAP）和多媒体学习的认知理论的基础上确定了插图的分析框架。从插图的数量、图文比例、色彩、表现形式、图文空间位置临近度、插图的分类、注释、互动性、插图的功能九个维度进行数据统计和分析，发现教科书插图从整体和纵向看均呈现出一定的规律性特征。

二是对剑桥版小学科学教科书插图的科学本质的分析。插图作为信息载体之一，能够以其特有的交流方式影响学生的科学本质观。研究以奥斯本（Osborne）、麦柯玛斯（Mccomas)等学者确定的科学本质观念为基础，选取科学本质的四个方面考察教科书插图,发现教科书中体现科学探究的性质的插图数量最多，包括实验操作图、实验设备图、数据处理图等；体现科学、技术与社会相互作用的插图较多，插图的内容涉及科学、技术和工程等人类活动的重要领域，向学生展示了不同社会生活领域中科学知识的发展和应用。但教科书插图中的内容都是指向科学技术的发展对社会生活的影响，没有社会文化的力量对科学的影响；体现科学知识是随着历史而发展的性质主要是通过科学史的插图来表现。插图包含常规的科学家图、设备仪器图外，还可以看到教科书插图尝试公平地呈现不同文化、性别及种族的人共同为科学的发展做出的贡献，这是其亮点。但笔者认为教科书中此类插图的内容不够丰富，可以加入科学家手稿的原样影印图、假说图、实验环境图等，从更多角度展示和还原科学的本质；最后，剑桥版小学科学教科书中使用较多科学模型图来体现科学思维的创造性和想象力的性质，如原子结构模型、人体循环系统模型、气体的粒子运动等。总体而言剑桥版小学科学教科书插图能较好地体现科学本质特征，表现出一定的优势和特点。这种优势得益于教科书的质量保障措施，因此研究中总结了剑桥版教科书的质量保障措施。

三是结论与反思。基于以上对剑桥版小学科学教科书插图的分析和思考，研究从以下四个方面总结了小学科学教科书插图的应然与实然：一是插图要符合学生年龄特征和认知发展特点。剑桥版小学科学教科书插图基本符合这一要求，插图的数量、图文比例等呈现出随着年级增长而变化的趋势；二是插图应能促进学生对图文的阅读和理解。一方面剑桥版小学科学教科书插图的呈现方式恰当，能够降低学生图文整合的认知负荷。另一方面插图基本贴合学科知识内容和科学本质，但仍存在有待改进之处，如减少装饰型插图、精心构思插图以传达科学本质；三是插图应具有一定的趣味性。剑桥版小学科学教科书插图通过互动性、个性化、情绪化设计等途径加强趣味性，以唤起积极的学习情绪；四是插图应体现一定的审美情趣，以发挥教科书插图的审美化教学功能。剑桥版小学科学教科书插图设计的美主要体现在色彩的对比和调和、简洁统一且富有节奏的图文排版以及插图的艺术表现手法等方面。

Science textbooks are a crucial pillar of science curricula, serving as indispensable educational resources for teaching. Illustrations play a vital role in science textbooks, functioning as carriers of knowledge with valuable educational functions. Illustrations not only effectively help students understand and remember knowledge points, but also stimulate their interest in learning. Illustrations play an irreplaceable role in textbooks, and their quality affects the audience's acceptance and the textbook's teaching effectiveness.

Based on the research on the cognitive theory of illustration, the factors affecting the effect of reading illustrations and the analysis of textbook illustrations at home and abroad, the study adopts the research methods of literature analysis and content analysis to conduct a more comprehensive and systematic analysis on the illustrations of Cambridge primary science textbooks. The study covers the following three main aspects:

The first is the analysis of illustrations in Cambridge primary science textbooks. Based on the Graphical Analysis Protocol (GAP) developed by Slough and others and the cognitive theory of Multimedia Learning, the study identifies a framework for the analysis of illustrations. And nine dimensions are analyzed: number of illustrations, the proportion of illustrations, color, presentation, the proximity of graphic space position, classification, annotation, interactivity, and function of illustrations,it was found that textbook illustrations showed certain regular characteristics both overall and vertically.

The second is an analysis of the nature of science in the Cambridge primary science textbook illustrations. Illustrations, as one of the information carriers, can influence students' view of the nature of science with their unique way of communication. Based on the conception of the nature of science identified by Osborne, Mccomas, and other scholars, the study selected four aspects of the nature of science to examine science textbook illustrations and found that the textbooks have the largest number of illustrations reflecting the nature of scientific inquiry, including experimental operation diagrams, experimental equipment diagrams, data tables, etc;there were more illustrations reflecting the interaction between science, technology and society, and the illustrations covered important areas of human activities such as science, technology and engineering, showing students the development and application of scientific knowledge in different areas of social life. However, textbook illustrations point to the impact of scientific and technological developments on social life, without the influence of sociocultural forces on science;the nature of scientific knowledge as it evolves through history is represented primarily through the illustrations of the history of science. The illustrations contain the usual diagrams of scientists and equipment and instruments, but the textbook illustrations are also highlighted by their attempt to fairly present the contributions that people of different cultures, genders, and races have made to the development of science together. However, the author believes that the content of such illustrations in textbooks is not rich enough, and that photocopies of scientists' manuscripts in their original form, hypotheses, and experimental environments can be added to show and restore the nature of science from more angles;finally, the Cambridge primary science textbooks use more scientific model diagrams to reflect the creative and imaginative nature of scientific thinking, such as models of atomic structure, models of the human circulatory system, and particle motion of gases. In general, the illustrations in the Cambridge primary science textbooks can better represent the nature of science and show certain advantages and characteristics. This advantage is attributed to the quality assurance measures of the textbook, so the quality assurance measures of the Cambridge edition textbooks are summarized in the study.

The third is conclusions and reflections. Based on the above analysis and reflection on the illustrations of Cambridge primary science textbooks,the study summarizes the shoulds and realities of primary science textbook illustrations from the following four aspects:first, the illustrations should meet the age characteristics and cognitive development of students. The illustrations in the Cambridge primary science textbooks basically meet this requirement, and the number of illustrations and the proportion of illustrations show a trend of change with the growth of grades; secondly, the illustrations should promote students' reading and understanding of illustrations and texts. On the one hand, the illustrations of Cambridge primary science textbooks are presented in an appropriate way, which can reduce the cognitive load of students' graphic integration. On the other hand, the illustrations basically fit the content of subject knowledge and the nature of science, but there is still room for improvement, such as reducing decorative illustrations and carefully conceived illustrations to convey the nature of science; thirdly, the illustrations should have a certain degree of interest. The Cambridge primary science textbooks illustrations enhance the fun through interactive, personalized and emotional design to evoke positive learning emotions; fourth,the illustrations should reflect a certain aesthetics to bring into play the aesthetic teaching function of textbook illustrations. The beauty of the Cambridge primary science textbooks illustrations design is mainly reflected in the contrast and harmony of colors, simple, uniform and rhythmic graphic layout and artistic expression of illustrations.