In this project, I have assessed various visual representations used in the Science textbook of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for class 6, for their impact on better understanding of the concepts they represent and are attempting to teach.

At first the entire textbook was assessed generally, and later detailed analyses of each image in the chapter ‘Light, Shadows and Reflections’ was done informed by responses to a questionnaire designed for and answered by students of CBSE and SSC (Maharashtra board).

It was found that in-spite of the increased focus in recent years on introducing more pictures and colours in textbooks, the current images are not very effective in aiding learning outcomes like understanding of concepts or removing misconceptions. Some design insights are discussed to help move towards this goal.