Spend some time watching a fish tank. Visit a barn and watch the horses interact with each other. After students have selected a focus for their project, have them conduct more observations and carefully record information specific to their focus. You may provide young children with a form or checklist to facilitate their data collection. Once students have observed patterns of behavior with domesticated animals, it is time for them to analyze their data and think of possible reasons for the patterns they see.
Most animals exhibit behaviors that can be linked to their wild relatives.
Help students begin to think that way by providing an example. You might mention that the way dogs interact with each other is much like the way members of a wolf pack communicate. Some wild birds spend hours preening each other as an important part of social interaction. Wings may get special attention since they are important for flight. Fish that select specific sections of a tank reflect the ecosystem of a stream.