Once upon a time, there was a little cricket named Chirpy who lived in a cozy burrow beneath a beautiful old building. The building was very special, with a grand entrance, tall columns, and intricate carvings on the walls. Chirpy loved to play in the cool shadows of the building, especially on hot summer days.

One day, as Chirpy was playing, he noticed drops of water forming on the walls of the building. He had never seen this before and was curious. He decided to investigate and found that the water was coming from a pipe that ran along the wall. The pipe was a conduit, which carried water from the roof of the building to the ground. Chirpy realized that the water was condensation, formed when the warm air inside the building met the cool surface of the pipe.

Chirpy was fascinated by the pipe and decided to explore it. He climbed up the pipe and soon found himself in a dark, damp room at the core of the building. It was the heart of the building, where all the pipes and ducts came together. The room was filled with the sound of rushing water and the fluttering of bats.

As Chirpy explored the room, he noticed a strange metal box on the wall. It was a damper, which controlled the flow of air in the building. Chirpy was curious and decided to have a closer look. Just as he was about to touch the damper, he heard a loud noise. It was the sound of the building's air conditioning system starting up!

Chirpy quickly realized that he was in danger and had to get out of the room. He looked around for a way out and saw a small opening in the wall. He squeezed through the opening and found himself back in the shadows of the building. He was safe!

As Chirpy made his way back to his burrow, he looked up at the grand entrance of the building and saw the beautiful cornice, which was a decorative molding along the roofline. He also noticed the course of bricks that made up the walls of the building, and the dado, which was a decorative band along the lower part of the walls. Chirpy was amazed by the beauty and complexity of the building and was grateful for the adventure he had just experienced.

From that day on, Chirpy was never afraid to explore and learn about the world around him. He knew that there was always something new and exciting to discover!

Reflections

1. What is condensation and where did Chirpy first see it in the story?
2. What is a conduit and what does it do in the building?
3. What did Chirpy find in the core of the building?
4. What is a damper and what did Chirpy learn about it?
5. What did Chirpy see on the roof of the building and on the walls?
6. How did Chirpy get back to his burrow?
7. What did Chirpy learn from his adventure in the building?