SUN PRAIRIE -- Some Sun Prairie High School students are taking on an ambitious project to capture a slice of U.S. history seen through the eyes of community members.

Students in four U.S. history classes, taught by Rob Meyer and Nathan Grundahl, interviewed 20 people from the community -- some current and former school district employees -- to ask them questions about history from the 1950s to the present. Most of those interviewed were 60 or older and those asking the questions were sophomores and juniors.

Eventually, the interviews will be bound into a book.

"Our goal is to get something published and go cross-curricular with English and marketing, " Meyer said.

Meyer and Grundahl came up with the idea because they both went to UW-Stevens Point, where an adjunct professor has published a number of books on various eras with his students at D.C. Everest Senior High School. Students at D.C. Everest Junior High School also have been involved in the project.

"Being familiar with it was a little easier, " said Grundahl, who student-taught at D.C. Everest Senior High School.

The classes got a grant from the Sun Prairie Education Foundation to buy 10 digital voice recorders for the project.

Groups of students conducted 1 hour interviews, asking their subjects wide-ranging questions such as whether they witnessed any activities involving civil rights, whether there were any changes in their family life during the Cold War and how they think 9/11 has changed people. The interviewees also were asked some biographical information.

The rest of the day was spent transcribing the answers, a lengthy process that was made easier because each person in the group typed up a section of the interview, junior Briana Venier said.

The students also were asked to type up a reflection of what they learned.

The school plans to create a bound collection of all the interviews and place them in the school library.

"In the future, we 're looking to focus on a specific era or concept, " Meyer said.

The students learned more about their subjects and recent history during the process. It also changed some of their perspectives about past events.

"Mr. (Jim) Buhr was my homeroom teacher and I didn 't know that much about him, " said sophomore Lucas Thielen, who interviewed the science teacher and track and cross country coach.

Junior Matt Crittenden, who interviewed Pete and Terry Twedell, who were both teachers for 34 years, said the discussion changed a number of his views, especially about the civil rights movement and the hippie culture.

"The hippie era -- that was really interesting to me, " he said.

Pete Twedell taught math and computer classes at Sun Prairie High School, where he also coached football and baseball. Terry Twedell taught at Northside Elementary School in Sun Prairie. Both retired in 2005.

Terry Twedell said she was happy the students were focusing on a time in history she thinks is often downplayed.

"I loved the question, What were hippies like? ' " she said. "We saw the riots, we were there. "

SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLS Each Monday the State Journal will feature a story about learning in southern Wisconsin. Send ideas for stories to Beth Williams at bwilliams@madison.com or call 608-252-6130.