Subject: What does a cell contain?

I am a grandma stuck with a ninth grader who totally flunked 
biology.

We have three books, and the more I read, the more confused I am 
about what
a cell contains.  So far, I have concluded that protoplasm and 
cytoplasm
are the same???that it is sticky or watery, the cytoplasm has a 
wall of
papilla???, There is a cell, nuclei, in the middle or there 
abouts and this
is the start of something new.  No kidding, I have three books 
and a
hand-out.  They are totally confusing this old lady!  Help.

Re: What does a cell contain?