OCEANSIDE — Kathe Gogolewski was supposed to be moving to Oceanside to retire from teaching, but after spending a few months listening to the laughter of children playing during recess at neighboring Lake Elementary School, she decided she had to go back, although this time in a different role.

For the past four years she has served as a volunteer, teaching reading and science lessons to fourth- and fifth-graders every Friday. But next year she is attempting to take it up a notch, expanding her services to schools throughout San Diego County by way of her new hands-on reading and science program, TATO, named after her soon-to be-published children’s book, which the program is based on.

The project will entail two hours of class time every day during a two-week span. Gogolewski will come into the classroom, read “TATO” to the students, and then provide a series of reading and science related activities that reflect the events of the book.

Gogolewski said the book, about a boy and his magical potato going on a quest to save his family, offers an abundance of magic, which ties strongly into the world of science. She said one of the story’s events happens in a mirror world, so she will be giving all the students mirrors and teaching them about creating light and color images through reflections.

“Kids are capable of learning a lot when they are given concrete materials, and I’ve tried throughout my years of teaching to always put something in their hands that they can work with,” Gogolewski said.

On the reading side of the curriculum she said she plans to do character analysis and comprehensive strategies.

Gogolewski said when she originally wrote the book for her own third- and fourth-grade classes, she never anticipated it would one day be published.

“Parents were coming up to me and asking where they can buy the book because their children couldn’t stop talking about it,” said Gogolewski. She credits the parents for encouraging her to get it published.

She credits the popularity of the book to its ability to keep children eager to see what’s going to happen next. “Suspense is a key for children of all academic levels to stay enrolled in stories,” Gogolewski said.

She said two Lake Elementary teachers have already signed up for the program, but before it can be implemented they need to come up with a $500 fee, which will cover the supplies and allow every student to have a copy of “TATO.”

To help secure funding, Gogolewski has turned to the Adopt-a-Classroom organization, which accepts donations from individual and group sponsors. The money goes to the school or classroom of their choice so programs such as Gogolewski’s can occur.

“It’s important for teachers that don’t have the funds to still be able to say yes to this program,” Gogolewski said. She added that teachers don’t just expect donors to give money and disappear, but come into the school, sit in on a lesson and see the impact their generosity has made.

“I really hope to get the program. Kathe is very talented the way she combines multiple subjects into one lesson,” said Julie Vivaldi, who teaches fourth grade at Lake Elementary.

Gogolewski said one of the most beneficial aspects of the program is that teachers can also learn from it, by following in her footsteps and continuing to read the book and do the activities for years to come.

“TATO” hits bookstores Nov. 1, which is also when Gogolewski hopes to start visiting schools with the program. For more information about “TATO” or how to adopt a classroom, call Gogolewski at (760) 643-9019.