Area models are an important strategy for representing and solving multiplication problems under the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (NGA Center and CCSSO 2010). The hands-on task presented in this article, featuring differentiation and open-ended learning, sets up students to discover area models for themselves. Organized around NCTM's eight teaching practices from "Principles to Actions," this article describes the task's setup and implementation. The author outlines a fourth-grade lesson for introducing area models in a way that facilitates student exploration and discovery. The task is designed with a low floor, open middle, and high ceiling, enabling all students in a classroom to work together.