This study aims to better understand Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) in middle school science teaching by revealing the perceptions of sixth-grade students in a public school in Turkey about POGIL. In the research conducted as a case study, the data were collected through interviews with 12 students who were taught the Particle Nature of Matter Unit using POGIL in the science course. The results indicated that the students generally made positive evaluations of POGIL. They emphasized doing experiments, teamwork/cooperation, making inferences, activity worksheets, discussions and teacher guidance as the features of POGIL they thought enhanced their learning. They also identified aspects that they found challenging. The challenges were largely connected to the cooperative learning component of POGIL. Some students believed that lecturing should also be part of the lesson. Yet, they realized the POGIL teacher's role as the facilitator. Overall, students appreciated participating in this collaborative inquiry learning environment.