Mathematical modeling tasks can engage students in ways in which they see themselves as mathematicians capable of using mathematics to solve real-world and complex problems. As mathematics teacher educators and researchers, the authors collaborated with two 5th-grade teachers, Liz and Anna (pseudonyms), focusing on equitable practices that foster students' agency and mathematics identity through modeling. Both teachers taught students from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds, providing a rich context for examining how students engage with modeling tasks. In this article, the authors discuss one of the modeling tasks they developed and how it unfolded with students.