GLOBE Plant Color Guide and Alternatives

GLOBE Plant Color Guide and Alternatives

GLOBE Plant Color Guide

Use the color guide to estimate the dominant color present in leaves, shrubs, and grasses to record seasonal changes. The color guide can be purchased from Forestry Suppliers.
** This can get costly if you need a class set. We recommend ordering one for comparison and using other methods (see ideas below or the GLOBE Grandma resource "Lesson 3—Observe Green Down") for extra copies.

GLOBE Observer App

The plant color guide is built into the GLOBE Observer app. Download the app to your phone or tablet here. 

Printed Color Swatches

Color swatches (PDF) match each Munsell Color on the GLOBE Plant Color Guide. (Developed by GLOBE Partner Dr. Michael Jabot, SUNY Fredonia)
These can be printed out and used like the color guide above. Mike reports that they printed well on a color laser printer.

Using Paint Chips

Behr brand paint colors (found at Home Depot) matched to each Munsell Color on the GLOBE Plant Color Guide. (Developed by Haley Wicklein, U.S. GLOBE Assistant Country Coordinator. Color matching was done using a ColorMuse)
Paint sample chips or paint for these colors can be labeled with the color code.

Using Crayons

Amy Barfield, former GLOBE Implementation Office Education and Outreach Specialist, blogs about a DIY Plant Color Guide using crayons.
**Note, she does not identify specific crayon colors and the process would need to be repeated by you and your students.