I'm really glad your team found this forum...We didn't find it till half way through our second year.
Check out this link and carefully follow the directions...it will help a lot!
This one id also helpful
The sidecar is a breakout board for the cRio...It is a place to plug all the other stuff in.
IO means input/output...comes in two flavors...digital and analog...analog is 0-5 volts...digital is on or off...
The breakout modules are board that plug into the cRio...
The compressor is for pneumatics...It is a pump that pushes air into your pneumatic system.
The converter takes the 12 volt output from your battery and makes it into 5 volts that the dlink needs...
the solenoids are valves...They decide when air gets sent to your pistons...
You connect the two little wires from the solenoids to a "spike relay" which is really just a switch, or a pneumatics breakout. which plugs directly into the cRio.
If I might make a suggestion...Have your mentors call FIRST to see if there is a local team that can mentor you guys. Rookie year is hard.
GOOD LUCK!