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. After providing students with one of these examples, encourage them to locate information related to their investigation on their own. Children's nature magazines and books are good sources to begin with. The Internet is also a great place to look.