Isn’t pandemic teaching fun? I feel your stress. I know code.org has scrambled over the last year to modify resources and help provide for ways of teaching both in-person and remote students. I can’t speak to whether or not they are considering a virtual environment, but I do believe that the makeCode similator (if that is the one you are referring to) should work for Express or Classic. In fact, the code.org lessons also work for both … (not sure on the new Bluetooth one they are selling now yet).
I know you said the AppLab alternative may not be for you, but if anyone else reads this, I’m going to post a link to a few resources below (including that one). Hopefully one may work in your situation and for others who read this …
-
Microsoft has a curriculum that although not as tightly organized as code.org’s can be done on the MakeCode simulator. Here is a link to that Coding the Circuit Playground Express
-
There is the Event Driven Programming in App Lab option that you may be referring to.
-
You could also use the Self-paced Introduction to Turtle Programming in App Lab unit from code.org.
The advantage to #2 and #3 above is that they could be assigned using the code.org dashboard so you could better track students’ progress. Everyone I’ve talked to who uses the Turtle programming says it is a fun alternative. It doesn’t teach exactly the same thing, but could be a good alternative this year and perhaps next.
I’m hoping others may come forward and share ideas as to what they’re doing. I know many of us are in the same boat on this one.
Mike